---

name: output-timeline-builder
description: Use when Claude must reconstruct or project a chronological timeline of events for litigation, M&A, regulatory proceedings, contract performance, or statute-of-limitations analysis. Formats events in date-ordered lists with optional annotations, deadline flags, and multi-track parallel display. Triggers on any question involving a sequence of events, breach timeline, deal milestones, or deadline mapping.
license: MIT
metadata:
id: output.timeline-builder
category: output
intent: ["format", "timeline", "chronology", "litigation", "M&A", "deadlines"]
related:
- output-table-of-comparisons
- output-irac-structure
- draft-litigation-complaint
- heuristic-numbers-and-dates-double-check
priority: P1
source: Louis — HAQQ Legal AI (github.com/sboghossian/mini-claude-for-legal)
version: "1.0"

Timeline Builder

A timeline is one of the most powerful analytical tools in legal practice — it turns a pile of documents, emails, and testimony into a narrative that either supports or undermines a legal position. In litigation, the timeline is often the first analytical product prepared. In M&A, it tracks deal milestones and regulatory windows. In contract disputes, it maps performance against obligations. This skill governs how Claude builds, formats, and annotates legal timelines.

When to use this

Build a timeline when:

• Reconstructing the facts for a litigation chronology or witness statement
• Mapping M&A deal milestones (discovery → NDA → DD → term sheet → definitive agreement → signing → closing → post-closing)
• Tracking regulatory filing windows and approval deadlines
• Analysing contract performance and alleged breach
• Computing limitation periods — what happened when, and is the claim in time?
• Preparing a board presentation or case summary for a client

Standard format — compact list

The default format is a date-stamped event list, ISO date format (YYYY-MM-DD):

2024-01-15  Discovery call between Acme and Globex
2024-02-20  NDA executed (Mutual NDA, English/Arabic)
2024-04-10  Due diligence commenced — data room opened
2024-05-22  Term sheet signed
2024-07-30  Definitive agreement signed — SPA
2024-08-15  MOFCOM / regulatory filing submitted (UAE: MoCI notification)
2024-10-01  Regulatory clearance obtained
2024-10-15  Closing conditions satisfied
2024-10-22  Closing — consideration transferred
2024-11-01  Earnout period commences (12-month)
2025-10-31  Earnout period ends

Use ISO date format consistently. If only month/year is known, write 2024-07 and note the precision: [month and year only — exact date not established].

Variant: annotated timeline

Add a source column and a legal-significance column for litigation purposes:

Date         Event                                        Document / Source            Legal significance
2024-02-20   NDA executed                                 NDA (Ex. A-001)              Confidentiality obligations arise
2024-04-10   DD data room opened                          Data room log (Ex. B-003)    Constructive disclosure of [item]
2024-07-30   SPA signed                                   SPA (Ex. A-002)              Representations and warranties as at this date
2024-10-22   Closing                                      Closing statement (Ex. C-01) Condition precedent deadline trigger
2024-11-15   Alleged breach discovered by Buyer           Email Doe→Smith (Ex. D-007)  Limitation clock starts (UAE: 1 year from knowledge, Civil Code art 487 analog)

The Document column creates the evidentiary chain. The Legal significance column is the lawyer's value-add.

Variant: deadline tracker with severity flags

For matters with multiple upcoming deadlines:

Deadline        Days remaining  Event                               Priority
2026-05-20      6               Response to DFSA request due        🔴 CRITICAL
2026-05-28      14              Reply brief due — DIFC CFI          🔴 CRITICAL
2026-06-10      27              Annual regulatory renewal filing    🟡 HIGH
2026-07-01      48              Option exercise window closes       🟡 HIGH
2026-09-30      139             Statute of limitations — claim X    🟢 MONITOR

Severity flags:

• 🔴 CRITICAL — imminent, failure creates irreversible harm or contempt risk
• 🟡 HIGH — within 30 days, requires active management
• 🟢 MONITOR — important but sufficient lead time

Variant: multi-track timeline

For complex matters with parallel workstreams (e.g., regulatory approval + financing + diligence running simultaneously):

Date         Track: Regulatory          Track: Financing            Track: Diligence
2024-08-01   MoCI filing submitted       —                           Legal DD commenced
2024-08-15   —                          Facility agreement signed    Technical DD commenced
2024-09-01   Waiting period begins       —                           DD issues list issued
2024-09-30   —                          Conditions precedent met     DD responses received
2024-10-01   Clearance obtained          —                           DD sign-off
2024-10-22   [Closing]                  [Closing]                   [Closing]

Use the multi-track format when a key question is whether two tracks will converge in time (e.g., "will regulatory clearance arrive before the financing longstop?").

Limitation periods — MENA reference

When building timelines for limitation analysis, the applicable periods under key MENA legal systems:

Jurisdiction	General limitation	Contract claims	Tort claims	Notes
UAE (federal)	15 years (Civil Code)	15 years general; 1 year for specific commercial claims	3 years from knowledge	UAE Civil Transactions Law governs; shorter periods for specific sectors
DIFC	6 years (DIFC Limitation Law)	6 years	6 years	Common-law-style accrual rules
ADGM	6 years	6 years	6 years	English Limitation Act 1980 as adapted
KSA	No single general period; varies by type	Commercial: 5 years (Commercial Court Law)	Variable	Hijri calendar affects computation
Lebanon	10 years general (Civil Code)	10 years general; shorter for specific categories	3 years	Civil law accrual rules
Egypt	15 years general	15 years; 7 years commercial	3 years from knowledge	Civil Code art 374

Always verify the specific limitation period for the specific cause of action — these general periods have many exceptions.

Dates and calendar notes

Hijri dates: Saudi and some UAE regulatory instruments use Hijri dates. When including these on a timeline, always add the Gregorian equivalent: 1443H-07-12 (12 February 2022). Conversion should be done against the official Umm al-Qura calendar.

Date precision: if a date is approximate or disputed, flag it: ~2024-03 or 2024-03 [disputed — see testimony of Witness X].

Time zones: for cross-border transactions, note the applicable time zone for deadline events: 2024-10-22 17:00 GST (UTC+4) — UAE closing.

Dates integrity check

Timeline dates are high-stakes. Always apply [[heuristic-numbers-and-dates-double-check]]:

• Check that dates are internally consistent (no event precedes its cause)
• Verify that stated deadlines align with the contract or court order
• Flag any gap in the timeline that suggests missing documents or disputed facts

Related skills

• [[output-table-of-comparisons]]
• [[output-irac-structure]]
• [[draft-litigation-complaint]]
• [[draft-witness-statement]]
• [[heuristic-numbers-and-dates-double-check]]
• [[output-source-attribution-block]]