Introduction

Hello, legal eagles! Ever wondered how to do your own legal research? Well, you're in luck. Today, we're going to explore the ins and outs of DIY legal research. Given the ongoing expansion of AI systems Law has also be disrupted by this new publicly available technology.

Of course this does not detract or take away the need for legal advice or council since our AI system supply information, not advice. Nonetheless AI will revolutionise law just as it will any other area of society.

Importance of Legal Research you may not be aware of

Whether you're preparing for a court case, writing a legal article, or just curious about a particular law, doing your own legal research can be empowering. It helps you understand the law and your rights better.

Legal research is a fundamental process that underpins the entire legal system. It is critical to law practitioners, law students, scholars, and any individual seeking to understand or interact with the law. The significance of legal research can be understood from the following perspectives:

1. Comprehensive Understanding of the Law: Legal research helps in providing an in-depth understanding of the law. Law is not static; it evolves and changes over time. Through research, one can gain insights into existing legal principles, new amendments, landmark judgments, and their interpretation by different courts. This allows better understanding of how the law works and its application indifferent situations.

2. Helps in Legal Reasoning and Argumentation: Legal research is the foundation of a strong legal argument. Through exhaustive research, lawyers can form robust legal arguments, find precedents that support their case, understand the legal principles the case hinges on, and foresee potential counterarguments. This can increase the chance of winning a case or getting a favourable ruling.

3. Inform Decision Making: Legal research helps inform decision-making by identifying the legal implications of different actions. It can guide both individuals and corporations in making choices that are legally sound and minimize the risk of legal complications or litigation.

4. Promote Access to Justice: By empowering individuals with knowledge and resources to understand their legal rights and responsibilities, legal research aids in promoting access to justice. It can help people better navigate the legal system, whether they're pursuing a lawsuit, defending themselves, or seeking to resolve disputes.

5. Assists in Drafting Legislation and Policies: Legal research is essential in the process of drafting legislation and policies. It helps lawmakers understand the social implications of a law, its potential impact, and how it can be implemented effectively. It can also highlight any legal gaps or issues with existing laws that need to be addressed.

6. Legal Education and Scholarship: Legal research is integral to legal education and scholarship. It provides the necessary basis for academic debate, informs curriculum development, and helps in the advancement of legal theory.

7. Preventive Lawyering: Legal research can aid in preventive lawyering – the process of anticipating potential legal issues and taking steps to avoid them. This can save clients considerable time, resources, and stress, as it is usually easier and cheaper to prevent legal problems than to solve them.

8. Contributes to Legal Reforms: Legal research can highlight areas where the law needs to change or evolve to better serve society. Through research, injustices, systemic issues, or outdated legal provisions can be brought to light, thereby prompting legislative reforms.

Legal research plays a vital role in the functioning and evolution of the legal system. It contributes to the understanding and interpretation of the law, informs decision-making, underpins effective advocacy, and ultimately, promotes justice and societal progress. Whether undertaken by a legal practitioner or a layperson, legal research can prove invaluable in many ways.

Define Your Legal Issue

Begin by clearly defining your legal issue. Are you interested in a specific area of law, like contract or employment law? Or do you need to understand a particular legal principle?

Understand the Legal Landscape

Next, familiarize yourself with the structure of the legal system in your jurisdiction. This involves knowing the different types of laws(statutes, regulations, case law), how they interact, and where to find them. Of course with Law Explore one will be able to check quickly the initial information and perhaps guide you to where you need to look for specifics.

We are about two weeks away from launching the new AI platform that will consolidate many civil jurisdictions into one platform, which, as you can imagine has never been available previously without considerable time and effort, not to mention the probable costs of employing an international legal specialist for their time. This sort of legal expense may become and thing of the past but at this moment that remains to be seen.

Many government websites provide free access to legislation and court decisions. They often also have helpful explanatory materials. We at Law Explore encourage as much research as possible to make sure you have the correct information, if you intend to use it in litigation. I am getting more excited as the launch date moves ever closer and look forward to seeing some of you there and getting feedback on this disruptive technology.

Happy research and enjoy the season.

Stay Curious

Robert O’Deck

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