The Computerised Lawyer

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This book is an introduction to the technology and application of computers in the legal field - from office and court use, to the debate over artificial intelligence. The reader is assumed to have no initial knowledge of computing. The first four chapters deal with the nature of computer hardware, communications, and software. The next three chapters deal with the variety of current computer applications in law: from legal information retrieval to jury administration in the court system. The final three chapters deal with the adventurous attempts to use artificial intelligence in law. As well as dealing with computer applications in law, this book features some aspects of law and the legal process which the computer is currently highlighting - what is the nature of a rule, how will law react to a potential torrent of easily available secondary materials, will computerised courts affect justice? Given the increasing number of courses in computer appreciation for lawyers and law students, and the en- croaching nature of the computer upon legal thinking and the practice of law, there is a growing need for textbooks such as this which provide an introduction to computer technology within the framework of law. Un- like other books in this subject, this book emphasises the technical applications, so complementing textbooks which deal with the law relating to computers. This book will be of interest to lawyers and to undergraduates, postgraduates, and lecturers in law, as well as to computer scientists involved with research into the application of computers in law.