NCJ Number
11297
Date Published
1973
Length
191 pages
Annotation
CURRENT PRACTICES AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL OF COMPLETE CASE AND STATUTORY DATA.
Abstract
JUDGES, PROSECUTORS, AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS CAN TESTIFY TO THE VAGARIES OF TIME CONSUMING LEGAL RESEARCH. AS THE NUMBER OF STATUTES, RULINGS, AND CASE DECISIONS CONTINUES TO INCREASE, THE PROBLEMS OF FINDING ALL THE APPLICABLE MATERIALS ARE COMPOUNDED. THIS DOCUMENT PRESENTS A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES DEALING WITH ONE SOLUTION TO THIS SITUATION - ENLISTING THE AID OF COMPUTERS IN SEARCHING LEGAL TEXTS. THE AUTHORS DISCUSS THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE STORAGE OF VOLUMINOUS LEGAL MATERIALS AND THE RETRIEVAL BY LEGAL PRACTITIONERS. THE TWO PRINCIPAL THEORIES OF RETRIEVAL, BY INDEX TERMS AND FULL TEXT SEARCH, ARE EXPLAINED IN NONTECHNICAL TERMS. SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF OPERATION ARE DISCUSSED AND THE OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED, AS WELL AS SUCCESSES ACHIEVED BY DIFFERENT APPROACHES, ARE REVIEWED. OBAR, THE OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION PROJECT WHICH PROVIDES FULL TEXT SEARCHING OF OHIO STATUTES AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS, IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED. JURIS, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RETRIEVAL AND INQUIRY SYSTEM, IS DISCUSSED AS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROGRAM OFFERING BOTH INDEX TERM AND FULL TEXT SEARCHING. TERMINAL ACCESS, USER TRAINING AND ACCEPTANCE, FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS, AND SYSTEMS DESIGN ARE DISCUSSED ALSO. PRACTICING LAWYERS AND THOSE INTERESTED IN A MORE EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF LEGAL RESEARCH TIME WILL FIND THIS WORK OF INTEREST. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.