Legal Expert Systems : The Inadequacy of a Rule-Based Approach

The two different categories of legal AI system are described, and legal analysis systems are chosen as objects of study. So-called judgment machines are discussed, but it is decided that research in legal AI systems would be best carried-out in the area of legal expert systems. The process of legal reasoning is briefly examined, and two different methods of legal knowledge representation are discussed (rule-based systems and case-based systems). It is argued that a rule-based approach to legal expert systems is inappropriate given the requirements of lawyers and the nature of legal reasoning about cases. A new approach is described, incorporating both rule-based and case-based knowledge representation. It is claimed that such an approach can form the basis of an effective and useful legal expert system