Jason “Deep Dive” Lord • {{DATE}} • About the Author

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I Let AI Do the Paperwork: How a Robot Wrangler in Possum Creek Got a Subpoena Copy With Almost No Effort

TL;DR: I took a few phone pics of a legal packet, told AI what I wanted (“please get me a PDF copy of whatever HR sends them”), and the AI did the heavy lifting—summarized the packet, drafted a clean email, and even built a one-click Gmail link and a ready-to-send .eml message. My workload? Read, click, send.

Not legal advice—just the play-by-play of a workflow that keeps your stress low and your inbox organized.

Act I: Welcome to Possum Creek, Where Paperwork Grows Like Kudzu

Our story begins in Possum Creek, Michiganish, a town where the courthouse clock runs five minutes fast and the city bird is the sigh. I, a perfectly ordinary citizen with a calendar full of other things, received a chunky envelope tied together with a paperclip that has seen generations. Inside: A Subpoena Duces Tecum aimed at my employer, Galactic Wombat Industries (Human Capital Overlords Division), in a family case overseen by Hon. Picklebee J. McGavel.

On the other side of the case, the fearsome law shop Badger & Figg, LLP (Law & Pastry), renowned for precise citations and an alarming selection of breakfast scones. Their plan? Ask my employer for every pay stub, W-2, overtime crumb, and bonus morsel from the last umpteen months—stuff I’d largely already given to the office of the Friendly Neighborhood Court Helpers (FNCH). But lawyers like to hear documents straight from the dragon’s mouth (HR), and—fair enough—courts like that too.

My real goal: stay chill, get a courtesy PDF of whatever HR sends to Badger & Figg, and keep a neat little record of it for my files without sacrificing a Saturday or a sanity unit.

Act II: The 90/10 Rule (AI Does 90%, I Do 10%)

Let’s draw the line:

My 10%

Snap photos of the packet.
Tell AI what I need, in plain language.
Approve a concise email request.
Click a Gmail compose link and press Send.
Save a PDF copy of my sent email (proof).

AI’s 90%

Read and interpret the photos (find the who/what/when/where).
Produce a lawyerly, plain-English summary: who’s subpoenaed, what’s demanded, deadlines, delivery options, “in lieu of appearance,” and so on.
Draft a polite, minimalist email asking opposing counsel for a complete PDF copy of whatever HR sends.
Generate both a one-click Gmail compose link and a downloadable .eml file so I can send the email from my account with zero formatting drama.
Nudge me with a short checklist for evidence hygiene (save a PDF of my sent email, label it, file it).

Result: I stay in review/approve mode. AI does the drudgery. Everyone’s happy, even the courthouse pigeons.

Act III: Cast of Characters (Wholly Fictional; Spiritually Accurate)

Hon. Picklebee J. McGavel — our ever-impartial judge, keeper of order and side-eye.
Badger & Figg, LLP (Law & Pastry) — opposing counsel; they bring receipts and a lemon curd tart.
Galactic Wombat Industries, Human Capital Overlords — my employer’s HR; guardians of the sacred Pay Stub Totem.
Friendly Neighborhood Court Helpers (FNCH) — the office where I previously submitted W-2s, pay stubs, and a small piece of my soul.

Act IV: The Workflow, Uncomplicated

1) Capture (a.k.a. Pics or It Didn’t Happen)

I opened the packet, straightened the pages like a librarian doing origami, and took four clear photos: front page, exhibits, and anything with “You must” energy. That’s it—no scanner ritual, no PDF acrobatics.

Pro tip: Use natural light, shoot flat, fill the frame, and don’t let your thumb photobomb. AI can read surprisingly crunchy text, but you’ll get better results with crisp photos.

2) Understand (AI Does the Parsing)

I told AI: “Summarize like an experienced Possum Creek lawyer. What is this? Who’s it aimed at? What’s being demanded? What’s the deadline? Do I have to show up?”

AI responded with a neat, human-readable brief:

It’s a subpoena duces tecum for Galactic Wombat HR, not for me personally.
They want wages/earnings/W-2s, overtime, bonuses, deductions, and relevant correspondence from specific dates to now.
The packet notes production can be by email and is “in lieu of appearance” for HR (so no one’s dragging me onto a witness chair for this).
Failure to produce could trigger contempt—but that’s a warning pointed at the recipient (HR), not me.
Purpose is standard: verify income straight from HR and grab any last crumbs (bonuses, incentives) to update support calculations.

Outcome: I’m calm, caffeinated, and informed.

3) Ask (Polite, Specific, Minimal)

Next, I asked AI: “Draft a short email asking opposing counsel to email me a complete PDF of whatever HR sends you. No rule citations, no payment offers—just a straightforward, polite request.”

AI produced a clean note with subject, recipients, a single request sentence, and my contact info. Friendly. Direct. No legal peacocking.

4) Send (Automation for the Win)

AI handed me two ways to send with near-zero friction:

One-click Gmail compose link: Click it, and Gmail opens with To, Subject, and Body auto-filled. I read it once and hit Send.
.eml message: Double-click the file, and your mail app opens with everything preloaded. Edit if needed, then ship it.

Why two options? Because sometimes you want speed (Gmail link), and sometimes you want a tidy, archivable message blob (.eml) to throw into your case folder. Either way, you’re sending from your account, which is better for authenticity and deliverability.

5) Save Your Proof

After sending, I hit Print → Save as PDF on the sent message and filed it in a folder named something like:
/Cases/PossumCreek/2025-09-15_RequestForSubpoenaPDF_SentEmail.pdf

That’s my timestamped proof of exactly what I asked for and when I asked for it. If anyone squints at me later, I have receipts—literally.

Act V: The Email Template (Funny but Functional)

Feel free to copy-paste and customize with your own zany geography:

Subject: Marshmallow v. Jellybean — Case No. 1234-FR | Request for PDF of HR Subpoena Response
To: counsel1@badgerandfigg.com; counsel2@badgerandfigg.com

Counsel,

I am self-represented in Marshmallow v. Jellybean. Please email me a complete PDF copy of all documents your office receives from Galactic Wombat Industries HR in response to your subpoena.

Send to: me@myemail.com
Please reply to confirm.

Thank you,
Pepper Quill
42 Sighing Sparrow Lane
Possum Creek, MI 48888
(555) 867-5309

Short. Polite. Specific. Zero debate fodder.

Act VI: The Tiny Automation That Makes You Look Like a Wizard

This little Python snippet spits out both the Gmail compose link and a tidy .eml file you can double-click in most mail apps. Run it once, reuse forever. Replace the placeholder bits with your details—Marshmallow v. Jellybean optional but highly recommended.


from urllib.parse import urlencode, quote_plus
from datetime import datetime

# === Edit these for your case ===
subject = "Marshmallow v. Jellybean — Case No. 1234-FR | Request for PDF of HR Subpoena Response"
to_emails = ["counsel1@badgerandfigg.com", "counsel2@badgerandfigg.com"]
from_email = "pepper.quill@example.com"
body = (
    "Counsel,\n\n"
    "I am self-represented in Marshmallow v. Jellybean. Please email me a complete PDF copy of all "
    "documents your office receives from Galactic Wombat Industries HR in response to your subpoena.\n\n"
    "Send to: pepper.quill@example.com\n"
    "Please reply to confirm.\n\n"
    "Thank you,\n"
    "Pepper Quill\n"
    "42 Sighing Sparrow Lane\n"
    "Possum Creek, MI 48888\n"
    "(555) 867-5309\n"
)

# === Build a Gmail compose link ===
gmail_params = {"view": "cm", "fs": "1", "tf": "1", "to": ",".join(to_emails), "su": subject, "body": body}
gmail_link = "https://mail.google.com/mail/?" + urlencode(gmail_params, quote_via=quote_plus)
print("Open this URL to send via Gmail:\n", gmail_link)

# === Create a .eml file (works with many mail clients) ===
eml_content = (
    f"From: {from_email}\n"
    f"To: {', '.join(to_emails)}\n"
    f"Subject: {subject}\n"
    f"Date: {datetime.utcnow():%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S +0000}\n"
    "MIME-Version: 1.0\n"
    "Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n"
    "Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit\n\n"
    f"{body}"
)

with open("Request_Subpoena_Returns.eml", "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
    f.write(eml_content)

print("\nSaved: Request_Subpoena_Returns.eml")

Why this matters:

Consistency: Same subject format, same tone, fewer “oops I forgot the case number” moments.
Speed: You’re sending a professional request in seconds, not minutes.
Proof: .eml files are real email source. They’re great for record-keeping and, if needed, showing you asked nicely, promptly, and specifically.

Act VII: “But Why Are They Subpoenaing HR If I Already Sent Stuff?”

Because legal systems love verification. Opposing counsel wants an authenticated set straight from Galactic Wombat HR, often with to-the-day year-to-date totals, any bonuses/overtime, and deduction details that your earlier packet might not have included. That’s routine. It doesn’t mean you did something wrong; it means they want the official source.

My reaction: fine, do your thing—and please send me a PDF mirror when it lands on your desk. The workflow above makes that one click away.

Act VIII: The Checklist (Reuse Forever)

☐ Snap clear photos of the packet (front to back).
☐ Ask AI to summarize like a local lawyer would (who/what/when/where; do I need to appear?).
☐ Ask AI to draft a short email requesting a complete PDF of the employer’s subpoena returns.
☐ Use the Gmail link or the .eml file to send from your account.
☐ Save a PDF of your sent email (timestamp proof).
☐ File the PDF in a dated folder with a tidy name.
☐ If silence persists, nudge once with a friendly “Just checking on the HR production; please email me a PDF copy when received.”

Act IX: Edge Cases (Starring: Unhelpful Trolls and Missing Attachments)

Opposing Counsel Goes Radio Silent
Reply gently a week later:
“Just checking whether the HR production has arrived. Please email me a complete PDF copy when it does. Thank you.”
Keep tone friendly; courts love adults.
HR Sends to Counsel Only
That’s normal. You’re not trying to reroute HR—just asking counsel for the mirror set they receive.
Gigantic Zip File Arrives
Download, unzip, and combine into a single PDF if you like (Preview on Mac or free PDF tools). Rename with the date and keep your folder neat. Chaos is the enemy; labels are your sword.
Weird Redactions
Logical redactions (like SSNs) are normal. You’re after substance: pay totals, rates, dates, bonus records, garnishments, etc.

Act X: Metrics That Make You Smile

Time spent by me: ~8–10 minutes (photos + read + one click + filing the sent email PDF).
Time saved vs. doing everything manually: at least 30–45 minutes of formatting, rewriting, and address spelunking.
Stress level: Significantly lower. Any process you can turn into a habit with three predictable clicks pays compounding dividends.

Act XI: Make It Yours (Tiny Variations, Big Wins)

Subject line conventions:
“[CaseName] — Case No. [Number] | Request for PDF of HR Subpoena Response”
Your future self will bless you for this formatting when you search your email.
Signature block:
Put your address and phone in your notes app as a fixed signature snippet so you never re-type it. Paste, done.
Folder hygiene:
Use a case folder with subfolders Incoming, Outgoing, Court, Employer, and Notes. Drop dated PDFs into the right bins. Half of legal admin is just not losing your homework.

Act XII: Why This Works (The Psychology of Low-Friction)

The secret sauce isn’t a grand, enterprise-grade system. It’s the removal of tiny frictions:

No hunting for “the right words”
No second-guessing “Do I sound formal enough?”
No typing recipient emails wrong
No missing the case number in the subject
No forgetting to keep proof

Every friction point is delegated to AI and micro-automation. You keep your role: reviewer, decider, sender. Low energy, high output.

Act XIII: Frequently Unasked Questions (But Let’s Answer Anyway)

Q: Do I have to mention rules and statutes in the email?
A: Not for a friendly, routine request. You’re keeping it polite and simple. If escalation is needed later, you can cross that bridge with more formal language.

Q: Can AI send the email for me?
A: It shouldn’t. You want to send from your account for authenticity, delivery, and a clean trail.

Q: What if I don’t use Gmail?
A: Keep the .eml workflow. Most mail apps can open and send .eml files just fine.

Q: Should I CC anyone?
A: If you have a case email folder (like a special address), sure. Otherwise, keep it uncluttered.

Curtain Call: The Robot Did the Boring Parts

What surprised me most wasn’t that AI could read the subpoena packet and spit out a summary. It was how much of the boring logistics it could absorb—drafting the exact ask, preloading emails, and reminding me to capture proof. I didn’t need to be clever; I needed to be consistent. AI gave me the template, the link, the .eml, and the confidence to click Send in under a minute.

In Possum Creek, the pigeons still coo over the courthouse clock, and scones at Badger & Figg still sell out by 10 a.m. But on my side of the street, the paperwork beast got a little smaller. I didn’t have to arm-wrestle HR or study hornbook footnotes. I let the robot do its job, and I did mine: review, click, file. Onward.

Tools Used (and Why)

AI Assistant — Image reading, packet summarizing, drafting the precise email, generating Gmail link + .eml.
Python (15–20 lines) — Tiny, reusable snippet to build the Gmail compose link and the .eml file.
Your Mail App — The final send lives (and is recorded) in your own account.

Reusable Assets

Email Subject Format
[CaseName] — Case No. [Number] | Request for PDF of HR Subpoena Response

Checklist

Photos → AI summary → AI email draft → Gmail link or .eml → Send → Save sent-email PDF → File with date.

Code Snippet
Use the Python block above. Swap in your names, your case, your version of Galactic Wombat Industries.

https://deepdiveaipodcast.blogspot.com/2025/08/automation-mostly-why-every-faceless.html

Final Bow

If your legal-admin task feels like a dragon, it’s probably just a lizard with good PR. Point AI at the problem. Keep your part tiny and repeatable. Accept the scone if offered.a cost to you.

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