NCJ Number
44901
Journal
State Court Journal Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 21-24
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW IS PRESENTED OF THE AUTOMATED LEGAL RESEARCH PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED BY THE COLORADO APPELLATE COURT.
Abstract
THE COLORADO SYSTEM IS AN ADAPTATION OF THAT STATE'S COMPUTER-BASED STATUTE SYSTEM USED TO RECORD, TRACK, AND PROVIDE PRINTOUTS OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS. THE LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED FOR USE IN RECORDING, STORING, PRINTING, AND SEARCHING OPINIONS RENDERED BY THE TWO APPELLATE COURTS IN THE STATE'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, KEYBOARD TERMINALS AND PRINTERS WERE INSTALLED IN THE SUPREME COURT AND THE COURT OF APPEALS, AND A DATA ENTRY CLERK WAS EMPLOYED TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM. THE COMPONENTS OF THE TEXT ENTRY AND SEARCH SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE USES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE SYSTEM ARE POINTED OUT. THE IMMEDIATE ADVANTAGE HAS BEEN THE EASE AND SPEED WITH WHICH REPORTED CASES CAN BE PUBLISHED THROUGH CASE LAW, THE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A RANDOM ACCESS, FULL-TEXT SEARCH OF THE JUDICIAL DATA BASE. THE END PRODUCT OF CASE LAW IS PRINTED VOLUMES CONTAINING THE OPINIONS ISSUED BY BOTH STATE COURTS. THE CASE LAW SYSTEM IS SAID TO BE COMPARABLE TO LEXIS AND WESTLAW -- TWO MAJOR COMMERCIAL COMPUTER-ASSISTED SYSTEMS FOR LEGAL RESEARCH -- IN SCOPE AND CAPABILITY. CASE LAW IS SAID TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN THE OTHER SYSTEMS, PERMITTING BOTH FULL-TEXT AND KEY-WORD/HEADNOTE SEARCHES.