Deleting a Matter in Clarra

Clarra allows authorized users to permanently delete a matter, along with its associated records, directly from the Matter Edit page. This article explains who can delete matters, how the deletion process works, what happens to linked records, and answers to common questions.

⚠️ Deleting a matter is permanent and cannot be undone. Please review the confirmation summary carefully before proceeding.

Who Can Delete a Matter

Deleting a matter requires the Delete Matter permission.

• The permission is located in the Matter section of role permissions.
• The Delete Matter permission requires the Edit Matter Info permission. If Edit Matter Info is removed from a role, Delete Matter is automatically removed as well.
• Users without the Delete Matter permission will not see the Delete Matter option.

To grant the permission (Administrators):

1. Go to User Information > Roles.
2. Select the role you want to update (or create a custom set of permissions for a user).
3. In the Matter section, check Delete Matter. Ensure Edit Matter Info is also enabled.
4. Save the role.

Note for API users: The Delete Matter permission can also be granted or restricted when creating an API key, giving your firm the same control over integrations as over users.

How to Delete a Matter

1. Open the matter you want to delete and go to the Matter Edit page.
2. Click Delete Matter.
3. Review the confirmation window, which summarizes everything the deletion will affect (see the next section).
4. For linked records, choose whether each type should be deleted or unlinked and retained in Clarra.
5. Click Confirm to proceed, or Cancel to exit without making any changes.
6. After confirming, you'll be redirected and a message will confirm the deletion has started.

The deletion runs in the background, so you can continue working. You'll receive a notification when the deletion is complete.

Understanding the Confirmation Window

The confirmation window is organized into up to three sections:

1. Items deleted automatically Records that belong solely to the matter and are always removed with it — including matter details, matter access settings, accounting settings and approvers, custom fields and files, and (where applicable) recovery/public adjuster sections.

2. Linked records — your choice For records that are linked to the matter, you choose whether they are deleted along with the matter or unlinked and retained in Clarra. This includes items such as plaintiffs, contacts, linked matters, invoices, expenses, events, communications, timeslips, and mail items. The window displays a count of each record type so you know exactly what's affected.

3. Document management notice If your firm uses a DMS integration (such as SharePoint), this section explains how documents associated with the matter are handled.

Sections only appear when relevant — if a module is not enabled for your firm, its section will not be shown.

What Happens After Deletion

Once a matter is deleted:

• The matter no longer appears in matter listings, search results, dashboards, reports, or exports.
• Any calendar events for the matter that were synced to Outlook or Google Calendar are removed, along with their reminders.
• Linked records you chose to retain remain available in Clarra, unlinked from the deleted matter.
• The deletion is recorded in the audit trail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a deleted matter be recovered? No. Matter deletion is permanent. If you're unsure, consider exporting the matter's data before deleting, or unlinking (rather than deleting) associated records.

Why don't I see the Delete Matter option? The option is only visible to users with the Delete Matter permission. Contact your firm's Clarra administrator if you believe you should have access.

What happens to invoices and expenses linked to the matter? You decide during confirmation: they can be deleted with the matter or unlinked and retained. Note that retained financial records will no longer be associated with the deleted matter.

How long does deletion take? Most deletions complete within a few minutes. Matters with a large number of linked records may take longer. You'll be notified when the process finishes.

Does deleting a matter delete documents in our DMS? The confirmation window will display a notice describing how documents are handled based on your firm's DMS configuration. Clarra document metadata associated with the matter is cleaned up as part of the deletion.

Questions? Contact Clarra Support at support@clarra.com.