The Computerised Lawyer: A Guide to the Use of Computers in the Legal Profession

This book is an introduction to the technology and applications of computers in the legal field - from office and court use, to the debate over artificial intelligence. The reader is assumed to have no prior 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, the book features some aspects of law and the legal process which the computer is currently highlighting, such as the nature of a rule, how law reacts to a potential torrent of easily available secondary materials, and whether computerized courts will affect the justice system.