[May 21 Civil Court Digitization Starts] Launch of 'Legal Desk,' a SaaS for Litigation Case and Document Management, Addressing the Challenges of 'Electronic Filing' in the 'mints Era'

News Highlights Effective May 21, 2026, Japanese civil court procedures will undergo full-scale digitization (mints Phase 3) nationwide. This marks a historic turning point where online filing becomes mandatory for attorneys, effectively replacing physical paper filings except in pro se litigation.

However, this shift has brought new challenges regarding 'electronic organization'—specifically the explosion of PDF files, complex evidence management, and fragmented communication with clients. TEKO Co., Ltd. (based in Osaka, Representative Director: Miho Takenaka) launched 'Legal Desk,' a cloud service specialized for litigation case and document management, on May 18, 2026.

The system's key features include automatic evidence numbering, full-text OCR searching, and integration with LINE/LINE WORKS. These tools enable lawyers to organize and prepare documents for the mints system simultaneously, significantly reducing administrative workloads.

Development Background: Catching Up with Court Digitization Following Phases 1 and 2, Phase 3 is the final step, beginning nationwide online petition filing on May 21. Real-world implementation is not without obstacles; due to delays in the development of the new 'TreeeS' system, operations will initially rely on an upgraded version of the existing mints platform.

Law firms report that their 'paper problems' have simply transformed into 'file organization problems.' The proliferation of PDF files, difficulty in tracking the latest versions, fragmented histories across LINE, email, and phone, and manual evidence management have become the 'four new operational burdens.' TEKO developed this SaaS specifically to solve these issues.

About 'Legal Desk' A system developed for law firms handling litigation, Legal Desk is designed to cover the entire litigation workflow—from case identification and evidence numbering to document preparation and client communication.

### Key Features 1. **Case Management**: Centralized management of documents, deadlines, and parties per case. 2. **Document Management (OCR Full-Text Search)**: Instant retrieval of information within PDFs and images. 3. **Automatic Evidence Numbering**: The core feature that significantly streamlines submission processes. 4. **LINE/LINE WORKS Integration**: Automatically saves client communications and attachments linked to specific cases. 5. **Google Drive Integration**: Connects seamlessly with existing cloud workflows.

Representative Comment 'Japanese civil court proceedings are finally moving into the era of data. However, as digitization progresses, lawyers face new headaches regarding organization. Legal Desk was developed to provide an environment where lawyers can focus on their core expertise: thinking and writing. We want to help turn the mints Phase 3 transition into an opportunity for true business reform, not just an increase in administrative burden,' says Miho Takenaka, Representative Director of TEKO.