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Legal Intake Question Bank: 85+ Questions by Practice Area

Copy-paste intake scripts for Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Family Law & Immigration. Free to use with attribution.

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These intake questions are free to copy, share, and adapt for your law firm or publication. We only ask for attribution:

Source: ClaireAI Legal Intake Question Bank (theclaireai.com/blog/legal-intake-question-bank.html)

Questions by Practice Area Checklist

Practice Area Focus Key Data Points # of Questions
Personal Injury Liability & Medical Date, Location, Insurance, Injuries 25
Criminal Defense Urgency & Charges Arrest Date, Charges, Court Date, Bond 20
Family Law Custody & Assets Marriage, Children, Income, Safety 22
Immigration Status & History Citizenship, Entry Date, Visas, Family 18
85+
Intake questions across 4 practice areas

Personal Injury Intake Questions (25)

Initial Incident Details

  1. 1 When did the accident/incident occur? (Date and approximate time)
  2. 2 Where did the incident take place? (City, intersection, property)
  3. 3 What type of incident was this? (Auto, slip/fall, medical, product)
  4. 4 Were you the driver, passenger, pedestrian, or other?
  5. 5 Was a police report filed? Do you have the report number?

Injury & Treatment

  1. 6 What injuries did you sustain?
  2. 7 Did you receive medical treatment at the scene?
  3. 8 Have you seen a doctor since the incident? When?
  4. 9 Are you currently treating for your injuries?
  5. 10 Have you missed work due to your injuries? How many days?

Liability & Insurance

  1. 11 Who do you believe was at fault for the incident?
  2. 12 Do you know if the at-fault party has insurance?
  3. 13 What is your auto insurance carrier and policy type?
  4. 14 Have you been contacted by any insurance company?
  5. 15 Have you given any recorded statements?

Legal & Administrative

  1. 16 Have you spoken with or hired any other attorney?
  2. 17 Were there any witnesses to the incident?
  3. 18 Do you have photos or video of the incident/injuries?
  4. 19 Have you received any citation or ticket?
  5. 20 Is there any pending litigation or legal action?

Contact & Scheduling

  1. 21 What is the best phone number to reach you?
  2. 22 What is your email address?
  3. 23 What is the best time to call you?
  4. 24 How did you hear about our firm?
  5. 25 Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

Criminal Defense Intake Questions (20)

Arrest & Charges

  1. 1 Have you been arrested? When and where?
  2. 2 What charges are you facing or expect to face?
  3. 3 Is this a misdemeanor or felony charge?
  4. 4 Are you currently in custody or out on bond?
  5. 5 What is your next court date?

Case Details

  1. 6 Briefly, what happened that led to the arrest?
  2. 7 Were there any witnesses?
  3. 8 Was any evidence collected (drugs, weapons, etc.)?
  4. 9 Did police read you your Miranda rights?
  5. 10 Did you make any statements to police?

Prior History

  1. 11 Do you have any prior criminal convictions?
  2. 12 Are you currently on probation or parole?
  3. 13 Have you ever been charged with a similar offense?
  4. 14 Do you have any pending cases in other courts?
  5. 15 Have you been represented by a public defender?

Urgency & Contact

  1. 16 How urgent is your situation? (Court date, custody)
  2. 17 What is the best number to reach you?
  3. 18 Can we leave a voicemail at this number?
  4. 19 Are you the defendant or calling for someone else?
  5. 20 How did you find our firm?

Family Law Intake Questions (22)

Marriage & Relationship

  1. 1 What type of family law matter do you need help with?
  2. 2 Are you currently married? Date of marriage?
  3. 3 How long have you been separated?
  4. 4 Has a divorce petition been filed?
  5. 5 Is this divorce contested or uncontested?

Children

  1. 6 Do you have minor children together?
  2. 7 What are the ages of the children?
  3. 8 Who currently has primary custody?
  4. 9 Is there an existing custody order?
  5. 10 Are there any safety concerns with the other parent?
  6. 11 Is child support currently being paid?

Assets & Finances

  1. 12 Do you own a home together?
  2. 13 Are there retirement accounts or pensions?
  3. 14 Do either of you own a business?
  4. 15 What is the approximate household income?
  5. 16 Are there significant debts?

Contact & Scheduling

  1. 17 Is there a court date scheduled?
  2. 18 Have you hired an attorney before for this matter?
  3. 19 What is the best way to contact you?
  4. 20 Is it safe for us to call or text this number?
  5. 21 Are there any restraining orders in place?
  6. 22 How did you find our firm?

Immigration Intake Questions (18)

Immigration Status

  1. 1 What type of immigration help do you need?
  2. 2 What is your current immigration status?
  3. 3 What is your country of birth/citizenship?
  4. 4 When did you enter the United States?
  5. 5 Do you have a valid visa? What type?

Case Details

  1. 6 Have you ever been deported or denied entry?
  2. 7 Do you have any pending immigration applications?
  3. 8 Have you received any notices from USCIS or ICE?
  4. 9 Do you have a court date with immigration court?
  5. 10 Have you ever been arrested in the US?

Family & Petitioners

  1. 11 Are you married to a US citizen or resident?
  2. 12 Do you have children who are US citizens?
  3. 13 Is your employer sponsoring your visa?
  4. 14 Do you have family members with pending petitions?

Contact

  1. 15 What is the best phone number to reach you?
  2. 16 Do you prefer communication in English or Spanish?
  3. 17 What is your current address?
  4. 18 How did you hear about our firm?

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions should I ask during legal intake?

Depends on practice area, but the core always includes: contact info, what happened, when it happened, who else is involved, and whether they've talked to other attorneys. Everything else builds on that foundation.

How many intake questions are too many?

We've found 15-25 hits the sweet spot. Under 15, you're probably missing something important. Over 25, people start getting impatient and hanging up—especially on mobile. The trick is asking the right questions, not all the questions. You can always follow up later.

Can I use these intake questions for my law firm?

Absolutely. Free to use. Just cite us as the source.

What's the difference between intake and consultation?

Intake is fact-gathering: who, what, when, where. Anyone trained can do it. Consultation is legal analysis: should you take the case, what's the strategy, what's it worth. That requires an attorney. Mixing these up is how you accidentally give legal advice during what was supposed to be a screening call.

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