---
tags: [atlas, personal-context, legal, playbook]
type: playbook
created: 2026-05-15
sensitive: true
status: active
---

# Legal Order Triage Playbook

Purpose: create a low-anxiety way to look at a new court/contempt order without getting overwhelmed.

This is not legal advice. This playbook is for emotional load reduction, document triage, and preparing questions for a lawyer or legal-aid resource.

## Current context

- Will is not able to pay everything the court ordered.
- Will recently had a contempt hearing.
- A new contempt order arrived yesterday.
- Will has not looked at the order yet because legal-related things trigger anxiety and can trigger panic attacks.

## Goal

Extract only the minimum actionable facts:

1. Are there deadlines?
2. Is there a required payment amount or payment schedule?
3. Is there another hearing date?
4. Are there required documents, classes, appearances, or actions?
5. Who can help interpret this: attorney, legal aid, court facilitator, clerk, advocate?

## Minimum viable win

If energy is low, do only this:

- Put the unopened order somewhere visible/safe.
- Take one photo or scan of the first page.
- Ask Atlas or a trusted person to help extract deadlines only.

That counts as progress.

## Grounding before opening

Before opening or reading:

- [ ] Sit down somewhere safe.
- [ ] Have water nearby.
- [ ] Set a 10-minute timer.
- [ ] Remind yourself: "I am only extracting dates and next actions, not solving the whole case."
- [ ] If possible, have Roxanne or another trusted person nearby.

## The 10-minute triage method

Do not read the whole document deeply at first.

1. Look only for:
   - dates
   - deadlines
   - dollar amounts
   - required actions
   - hearing information
   - contact information
2. Write those in the tracker below.
3. Stop after 10 minutes.
4. Decide the next support step.

## Tracker

| Item | Found? | Details |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deadline |  |  |
| Hearing date |  |  |
| Amount ordered |  |  |
| Payment schedule |  |  |
| Required action |  |  |
| Contact / filing info |  |  |
| Consequence if missed |  |  |

## Questions to ask legal help

- I cannot afford the full court-ordered amount. What options exist to request modification, payment plan, or relief?
- What exactly does the new contempt order require me to do?
- What is the deadline to respond or comply?
- What happens if I cannot pay by the date listed?
- Can I file anything explaining inability to pay?
- Are there local legal aid or court facilitator resources for this kind of matter?

## If panic starts

Pause. The document can wait 10 minutes.

- Put the document down.
- Take slow breaths.
- Name five things you can see.
- Text or ask someone: "I opened the legal document and I'm panicking. Can you sit with me for 10 minutes?"
- Resume only if you feel able.

## Assistant role

Atlas can help by:

- Extracting dates, deadlines, amounts, and required actions from text or photos Will provides.
- Turning the order into a plain-English checklist.
- Drafting a neutral message to an attorney/legal-aid resource.
- Creating reminders only after Will explicitly approves them.

Atlas should not:

- Give legal advice as if it were a lawyer.
- Contact court/attorneys/other parties without explicit consent.
- Push Will to read more than is necessary in one sitting.

## Related notes

- [[Legal]]
- [[Will]]
