Systems and methods for generating a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a document

1. A method for providing for display a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a document with respect to at least one variable, the method comprising:

receiving a request to generate the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to the at least one variable;

in response to the received request, retrieving, by a computer, treatment information associated with the document with respect to the at least one variable from a database;

generating a message containing the retrieved treatment information of the document with respect to the at least one variable;

transmitting the generated message; and

providing for display the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to the at least one variable based on the transmitted message, wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes among a plurality of treatment types pertaining to the document, wherein each of the plurality of treatment types is indicative of a manner in which the document was treated by one or more citing documents;

wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation comprises a matrix of cells, a first axis, and a second axis;

wherein the first axis comprises a first plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of treatment types, wherein each label of the first plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding treatment type of the plurality of treatments types, wherein the first plurality of labels comprises a first label corresponding to a first treatment type of the plurality of treatment types;

wherein the second axis comprises a second plurality of labels corresponding to a plurality of values of the at least one variable, wherein each label of the second plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding value of the at least one variable of the plurality of values of the at least one variable, wherein the second plurality of labels comprises a second label corresponding to a second value of the plurality of values of the at least one variable; and

wherein a first cell of the matrix of cells displays a first graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label occurred with respect to the second value corresponding to the second label, wherein the first label and the second label are associated with the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication is contained within the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication does not extend into other cells of the matrix of cells.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of treatment types includes a positive treatment type and a negative treatment type;

the positive treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document positively;

the negative treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document negatively; and

the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes between the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document positively and the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document negatively.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first axis is a vertical axis and the second axis is a horizontal axis, such that:

the vertical axis comprises the first plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of treatment types; and

the horizontal axis comprises the second plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of values of the at least one variable.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first graphical indication includes a number of times that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label occurred with respect to the second value corresponding to the second label.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the matrix of cells includes a second cell;

the second plurality of labels comprises a third label corresponding to a third value of the plurality of values of the at least one variable; and

the second cell displays a second graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label did not occur with respect to the third value corresponding to the third label, wherein the first label and the third label are associated with the second cell.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second graphical indication is a blank cell.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a color of at least one cell of the matrix of cells is based on a row of the matrix of cells in which the at least one cell resides.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable is time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one variable is jurisdiction.

10. A method for providing for display a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a legal document with respect to time or jurisdiction, the method comprising:

receiving a request to generate the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the legal document with respect to time or jurisdiction;

in response to the received request, retrieving, by a computer, treatment information associated with the legal document with respect to time or jurisdiction from a database;

generating a message containing the retrieved treatment information of the legal document with respect to time or jurisdiction;

transmitting the generated message; and

providing for display the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the legal document with respect to time or jurisdiction based on the transmitted message, wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes among a plurality of treatment types pertaining to the legal document, wherein each of the plurality of treatment types is indicative of a manner in which the legal document was treated by one or more citing documents;

wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation comprises a matrix of cells, a vertical axis, and a horizontal axis; wherein the vertical axis comprises a first plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of treatment types, wherein each label of the first plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding treatment type of the plurality of treatments types, wherein the first plurality of labels comprises a first label corresponding to a first treatment type of the plurality of treatment types;

wherein the horizontal axis comprises a second plurality of labels corresponding to a plurality of values of time or jurisdiction, wherein each label of the second plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding value of time or jurisdiction of the plurality of values of time or jurisdiction, wherein the second plurality of labels comprises a second label corresponding to a second value of the plurality of values of time or jurisdiction; and

wherein a first cell of the matrix of cells displays a first graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label occurred with respect to the second value corresponding to the second label, wherein the first label and the second label are associated with the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication is contained within the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication does not extend into other cells of the matrix of cells.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the plurality of treatment types includes a positive treatment type and a negative treatment type;

the positive treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the legal document positively;

the negative treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the legal document negatively; and

the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes between the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the legal document positively and the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the legal document negatively.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first graphical indication includes a number of times that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label occurred with respect to the second value corresponding to the second label.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the matrix of cells includes a second cell;

the second plurality of labels comprises a third label corresponding to a third value of the plurality of values of the at least one variable; and

the second cell displays a second graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label did not occur with respect to the third value corresponding to the third label, wherein the first label and the third label are associated with the second cell.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second graphical indication is a blank cell.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein a color of at least one cell of the matrix of cells is based on a row of the matrix of cells in which the at least one cell resides.

16. A system for providing for display a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a document with respect to at least one variable, the system comprising:

a computing device that comprises a non-transitory memory component that stores a set of executable instructions that cause the computing device to:

receive a request to generate the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to the at least one variable;

in response to the received request, retrieve treatment information associated with the document with respect to the at least one variable from a database;

generate a message containing the retrieved treatment information of the document with respect to the at least one variable;

transmit the generated message; and

provide for display the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to the at least one variable based on the transmitted message, wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes among a plurality of treatment types pertaining to the document, wherein each of the plurality of treatment types is indicative of a manner in which the document was treated by one or more citing documents;

wherein the two-dimensional graphical grid representation comprises a matrix of cells, a first axis, and a second axis;

wherein the first axis comprises a first plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of treatment types, wherein each label of the first plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding treatment type of the plurality of treatments types, wherein the first plurality of labels comprises a first label corresponding to a first treatment type of the plurality of treatment types;

wherein the second axis comprises a second plurality of labels corresponding to a plurality of values of the at least one variable, wherein each label of the second plurality of labels corresponds to a corresponding value of the at least one variable of the plurality of values of the at least one variable, wherein the second plurality of labels comprises a second label corresponding to a second value of the plurality of values of the at least one variable; and

wherein a first cell of the matrix of cells displays a first graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label occurred with respect to the second value corresponding to the second label, wherein the first label and the second label are associated with the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication is contained within the first cell, wherein the first graphical indication does not extend into other cells of the matrix of cells.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one variable is time or jurisdiction.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the first axis is a vertical axis and the second axis is a horizontal axis, such that:

the vertical axis comprises the first plurality of labels corresponding to the plurality of treatment types; and

the horizontal axis comprises the second plurality of labels corresponding to a plurality of values of time or jurisdiction.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the plurality of treatment types includes a positive treatment type and a negative treatment type;

the positive treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document positively;

the negative treatment type is indicative of at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document negatively; and

the two-dimensional graphical grid representation graphically distinguishes between the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document positively and the at least one of the one or more citing documents treating the document negatively.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein:

the matrix of cells includes a second cell;

the second plurality of labels comprises a third label corresponding to a third value of the plurality of values of the at least one variable; and

the second cell displays a second graphical indication that the first treatment type corresponding to the first label did not occur with respect to the third value corresponding to the third label, wherein the first label and the third label are associated with the second cell.