Manage Matters

A matter is a container for all of the data related to a specific topic, such as a litigation case or an investigation. A matter includes:

  • Saved search queries
  • Holds
  • Accounts with which the matter is shared
  • Export sets
  • Audit trail

To work with Vault resources, the account must have the required Vault privileges and access to the matter. To access a matter, the account must have created the matter, have the matter shared with them, or have the View All Matters privilege.

A matter has the following states:

StateDescription
OpenThe matter is active, and you can create holds, run searches, and export data within it.
ClosedUsually when an investigation is complete, the matter is closed.

Closed matters can be reopened at any time.

DeletedA matter can be deleted so that it becomes completely unavailable.

A deleted matter will remain in Trash for approximately 30 days, during which time it can be restored. After that period, the matter is permanently purged.

matters lifecycle

Create a matter

The following example creates a new matter with the specified name and description.

Java

Matter matter = new Matter();
matter.setName("Matter Name");
matter.setDescription("Matter Description");
Matter createdMatter = client.matters().create(matter).execute();

Python

def create_matter(service):
  matter_content = {
      'name': 'Matter Name',
      'description': 'Matter Description',
  }
  matter = service.matters().create(body=matter_content).execute()
  return matter

Get a matter

There are two views of a matter: BASIC (default) and FULL. The FULL view adds matter permissions to the BASIC view.

The following example retrieves the specified matter.

Java

client.matters().get(matterId).execute(); // Returns BASIC view.
client.matters().get(matterId).setView("BASIC").execute();
client.matters().get(matterId).setView("FULL").execute();

Python

matter_id = getMatterId()
service.matters().get(matterId=matter_id).execute(); // Returns BASIC view.
service.matters().get(matterId=matter_id, view='BASIC').execute();
service.matters().get(matterId=matter_id, view='FULL').execute();

List matters

The following example shows how to list all open, closed, and deleted matters (up to the default 100 per request).

Java

List mattersList = client.matters().list().execute().getMatters();

Python

mattersList = client.matters().list().execute()

The following example shows how to list all open, closed, and deleted matters over multiple requests.

Java

ListMattersResponse firstPageResponse = client.matters().list().setPageSize(20).execute();
 
String nextPageToken = firstPageResponse.getNextPageToken());
if (nextPageToken != null) {
  client.matters().list().setPageToken(nextPageToken).setPageSize(20).execute();
}

Python

list_response1 = service.matters().list(
        view='FULL', pageSize=10).execute()
for matter in list_response1['matters']:
    print(matter)

if ‘nextPageToken’ in list_response1:
    list_response2 = service.matters().list(
        pageSize=10, pageToken=list_response1['nextPageToken']).execute()
    for matter in list_response2['matters']:
      print(matter)

The following example shows how to list matters of a specified state.

Java

// Only get open matters.
List openMattersList = client.matters().list().setState("OPEN").execute().getMatters();

// Only get closed matters.
List closedMattersList = client.matters().list().setState("CLOSED").execute().getMatters();

// Only get deleted matters.
List deletedMattersList = client.matters().list().setState("DELETED").execute().getMatters();

Python

# Only get open matters.
openMattersList = client.matters().list(
    state='OPEN').execute()

# Only get closed matters.
closedMattersList = client.matters().list(
    state='CLOSED').execute()

# Only get deleted matters.
deletedMattersList = client.matters().list(
    state='DELETED').execute()

Update a matter

The following example updates the name and description of a matter.

Java

String matterId = "matterId";
Matter matter = new Matter().setName("New Name").setDescription("New Description");
vault.matters().update(matterId, matter).execute();

Python

def update_matter(service, matter_id):
    wanted_matter = {
        'name': 'New Matter Name',
        'description': 'New Description'
    }
    updated_matter = service.matters().update(
        matterId=matter_id, body=wanted_matter).execute()
    return updated_matter

Close a matter

The following example shows how to close a matter.

Java

String matterId = "matterId";
// If the matter still has holds, this operation will fail.
client.matters().close(matterId, new CloseMatterRequest()).execute();

Python

def close_matter(service, matter_id):
    close_response = service.matters().close(
        matterId=matter_id, body={}).execute()
    return close_response['matter']

Delete, undelete, or reopen a matter

The following example shows how to delete, undelete, or reopen a matter.

Java

Matter matter = client.matters().get(matterId).execute();
 
// Delete the matter.
client.matters().delete(matter.getMatterId());
// Undelete the matter.
client.matters().undelete(matter.getMatterId(), new UndeleteRequest());
// Reopen the matter.
client.matters().reopen(matter.getMatterId(), new ReopenMatterRequest());

Python

def reopen_matter(service, matter_id):
    reopen_response = service.matters().reopen(
        matterId=matter_id, body={}).execute()
    return reopen_response['matter']

def delete_matter(service, matter_id):
    service.matters().delete(matterId=matter_id).execute()
    return get_matter(matter_id)

def undelete_matter(service, matter_id):
    undeleted_matter = service.matters().undelete(
        matterId=matter_id, body={}).execute()
    return undeleted_matter

Matter permissions

Each matter has a permission set of who can access or edit it. You can view this by getting the FULL view of a matter.

Java

String matterId = "Matter Id";
String accountId = "Account Id";
 
// List permissions for a matter.
Matter matter = client.matters().get(matterId).setView("FULL").execute();
List matterPermissions = matter.getMatterPermissions();
 
// Add a user to the permission set.
client
    .matters()
    .addPermissions(matterId)
    .setMatterPermissionAccountId(accountId)
    .setMatterPermissionRole("COLLABORATOR")
    .execute();
 
// Remove a user from the permission set.
client
    .matters()
    .removePermissions(matterId)
    .setAccountId(accountId)
    .execute();

Python

def list_matter_permission(service, matter_id):
    matter = service.matters().get(matterId=matter_id, view='FULL').execute()
    return matter['matterPermissions']
 
def add_matter_permission(service, matter_id, account_id):
    permission = service.matters().addPermissions(
        matterId=matter_id,
        matterPermission_accountId=account_id,
        matterPermission_role='COLLABORATOR',
        sendEmails='False',
        ccMe='False').execute()
    return permission

def remove_matter_permission(service, matter_id, account_id):
    service.matters().removePermissions(
        matterId=matter_id, accountId=account_id).execute()