NCJ Number
41763
Journal
RUTGERS JOURNAL OF COMPUTERS AND THE LAW Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 27-71
Date Published
1977
Length
45 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE PROTOTYPE OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CAN PERFORM A SIMPLE KIND OF LEGAL ANALYSIS. THE USER OF THE SYSTEM IS PRESUMED TO BE AN ATTORNEY.
Abstract
THE SYSTEM USES A STANDARD ALPHANUMERICAL KEYBOARD, VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN, AND PRINTER. IN AN ANALYSIS SESSION, THE USER WOULD DESCRIBE TO THE COMPUTER, THROUGH A TERMINAL, A HYPOTHETICAL FACT SITUATION. THE SYSTEM EXPLORES ITS INTERNAL REPRESENTATIONS OF VARIOUS LEGAL DOCTRINES, AND IT DETERMINES THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE HYPOTHETICAL FACTS FALL WITHIN, OR NEAR, THESE DOCTRINES. IN ORDER TO EFFECT THIS TYPE OF COMPUTER ANALYSIS, IT IS NECESSARY TO CONSTRUCT EXPLICIT MACHINE REPRESENTATIONS FOR THE SPECIFIC FACTUAL SITUATIONS THAT ARE TO BE ANALYZED. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE MACHINE WITH SIMILAR REPRESENTATIONS FOR MORE GENERALIZED SITUATIONS IN TERMS OF WHICH LEGAL DOCTRINES CAN BE EXPRESSED. FINALLY. IT IS NECESSARY TO DESIGN MACHINE PROCEDURES FOR MATCHING THE SPECIFIC FACTS BEING ANALYZED TO THE MORE GENERAL FACTS CONTAINED IN THE DOCTRINES....MSP