# Legal Services Guide

## Overview

The Legal Assistant helps law firms and legal departments manage cases, documents, and legal research. It provides quick access to case information and supports document analysis through AI-powered question answering.

## Features

### Case Management

**Loading a Case:**
To load and query a legal case, provide the case number. The system will retrieve the associated documents and enable Q&A mode.

- Say "Load case 12345" or provide the case number when prompted
- Once loaded, ask any questions about the case
- Request summaries, key dates, parties involved, or specific details

**Case Documents:**
- Case files are stored as PDFs named `case-{number}.pdf`
- Documents are indexed for semantic search
- Full-text search across all case materials

### Document Analysis

Once a case is loaded, you can:

- **Get Summaries**: "Summarize this case" or "What is this case about?"
- **Find Specific Information**: "Who are the defendants?" or "What are the key dates?"
- **Legal Research**: "What precedents are cited?" or "What is the legal basis?"
- **Extract Details**: "List all exhibits" or "What evidence was presented?"

## Case Types Supported

### Civil Litigation
- Contract disputes
- Personal injury
- Property disputes
- Employment matters
- Consumer protection

### Corporate Law
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Corporate governance
- Shareholder disputes
- Compliance matters

### Family Law
- Divorce proceedings
- Child custody
- Adoption
- Estate planning

### Criminal Law
- Defense preparation
- Evidence review
- Case analysis

### Administrative Law
- Regulatory compliance
- Government proceedings
- License and permit matters

## Working with Legal Documents

### Document Types
- Court filings
- Contracts and agreements
- Correspondence
- Evidence documentation
- Expert reports
- Discovery materials

### Document Organization
Cases are organized with the following structure:
- Case number as the primary identifier
- Related documents linked to the case
- Chronological organization of filings
- Party-specific document grouping

## Best Practices

### Case Research
1. Load the case before asking questions
2. Start with a summary to understand the overall matter
3. Drill down into specific areas of interest
4. Cross-reference with related cases when needed

### Document Review
1. Review key documents first (complaints, answers, orders)
2. Use specific questions to extract relevant information
3. Request citations for important claims
4. Verify critical details against source documents

### Confidentiality
- All case information is handled confidentially
- Access is restricted to authorized users
- No case details are shared across matters
- Audit logs track all document access

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: How do I load a case?**
A: Provide the case number when prompted, or say "Load case [number]".

**Q: What if a case is not found?**
A: Verify the case number is correct. The case document must exist in the system as `case-{number}.pdf`.

**Q: Can I compare multiple cases?**
A: Load each case separately and take notes. The system handles one case context at a time.

**Q: How accurate are the AI responses?**
A: The AI provides information based on the loaded documents. Always verify critical information against the source documents.

**Q: Can I search across all cases?**
A: Contact your administrator for cross-case search capabilities.

**Q: Are my queries logged?**
A: Yes, for security and audit purposes, all case access and queries are logged.

## Legal Research Tips

### Effective Questions
- Be specific: "What was the ruling on the motion to dismiss?" vs. "What happened?"
- Ask for sources: "What evidence supports the plaintiff's claim?"
- Request timelines: "What is the chronology of events in this case?"

### Understanding Responses
- Responses are based on document content
- AI may indicate when information is unclear or missing
- Always cite original sources in official work

## Document Templates

The system includes templates for common legal documents:
- Demand letters
- Motion templates
- Contract templates
- Legal memoranda
- Client correspondence

Access templates by asking "Show templates" or specifying the document type needed.

## Support

For technical issues:
- Contact your IT administrator
- Report document loading problems
- Request access to additional case files

For legal questions:
- Consult with supervising attorneys
- Verify AI responses with primary sources
- Use professional judgment in all matters