Computer-assisted legal research

Computer-assisted legal research (CALR)[1] or computer-based legal research is a mode of legal research that uses databases of court opinions, statutes, court documents, and secondary material. Electronic databases make large bodies of case law easily available. Databases also have additional benefits, such as Boolean searches, evaluating case authority, organizing cases by topic, and providing links to cited material. Databases are available through paid subscription or for free.[2]

Subscription-based services include Westlaw, LexisNexis, JustCite, HeinOnline, Bloomberg Law, Lex Intell, VLex and LexEur. As of 2015, the commercial market grossed $8 billion.[3] Free services include OpenJurist, Google Scholar, AltLaw, Ravel Law,[3] WIPO Lex, Law Delta and the databases of the Free Access to Law Movement.

  1. ^ "Assessing the Influence of Computer-Assisted Legal Research: A Study of California Supreme Court Opinions" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-19. Retrieved 2010-02-24.
  2. ^ Kate Marquess, Caught in the Web: Survey Reveals Increasing Use of Internet in Law Practices, but Lawyers Are Making Transition Slowly, A.B.A. J., Dec. 2000, at 76.
  3. ^ a b Erik Eckholm (October 28, 2015). "Harvard Law Library Readies Trove of Decisions for Digital Age". The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2015. a commercial market surpassing $8 billion