Systems, methods, and software for researching statutory information
First Claim
1. An information-retrieval system, the system comprising:
- a plurality of databases, including statutory content and non-statutory content; and
one or more servers to facilitate client access to the plurality of databases over a network, at least one of the servers configured to provide a client access device with a graphical user interface to query statutory content via a table of contents and an effective date of the statutory content; and
wherein the graphical user interface includes a display region configured to display the table of contents of a selected legal statute database as a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories, a query input field configured to receive at least one search criterion and a date input field configured to receive the effective date, each search-selectable legal statute category associated with one or more legal statutes, andwherein the one or more of the servers is configured in response to receipt of the effective date to dynamically define and display a historical table of contents of the selected legal statute database in the display region based on the received effective date, the historical table of contents including a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories each associated with one or more legal statutes, at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories being user-selectable to query the one or more legal statutes associated with the at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories in the selected legal statute database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
With conventional print and electronic tools, researching statutory material is difficult and time-consuming. So, to facilitate this type of research, the present inventors devised systems, methods, and software that promise to improve the ability of researchers to find, verify, read, and/or interpret statutory information. One exemplary system provides options for users to access statutory information by citation, by table of contents, by index, and/or by popular name; presents specific statutory information in combination with visual indicators, such as red or yellow flags, that indicate the validity or status of the information; and provides requested statutory information in context of links to related information, such as tables of contents, other versions of a statute, case law, scholarly materials, legislative history, cross-referenced statutes, and administrative-law materials.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An information-retrieval system, the system comprising:
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a plurality of databases, including statutory content and non-statutory content; and one or more servers to facilitate client access to the plurality of databases over a network, at least one of the servers configured to provide a client access device with a graphical user interface to query statutory content via a table of contents and an effective date of the statutory content; and wherein the graphical user interface includes a display region configured to display the table of contents of a selected legal statute database as a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories, a query input field configured to receive at least one search criterion and a date input field configured to receive the effective date, each search-selectable legal statute category associated with one or more legal statutes, and wherein the one or more of the servers is configured in response to receipt of the effective date to dynamically define and display a historical table of contents of the selected legal statute database in the display region based on the received effective date, the historical table of contents including a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories each associated with one or more legal statutes, at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories being user-selectable to query the one or more legal statutes associated with the at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories in the selected legal statute database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system to retrieve information, the system comprising:
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a plurality of legal statute databases; and a server coupled to the legal statute databases, the server configured to; receive from a client an effective date associated with a selected legal statute database; and dynamically define and transmit to the client a historical table of contents of the selected legal statute database based on the received effective date as a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories each associated with one or more legal statutes, at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories being user-selectable to query the one or more legal statutes associated with the at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories in the selected legal statute database. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of retrieving information, the method comprising:
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receiving from a client by a server an effective date associated with a selected legal statute database; and dynamically defining and transmitting by the server to the client a historical table of contents of the selected legal statute database based on the received effective date as a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories each associated with one or more legal statutes, at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories being user-selectable to query the one or more legal statutes associated with the at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories in the selected legal statute database. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A computer-readable storage medium comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
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receive an effective date from a client associated with a selected legal statute database; and dynamically define and transmit to the client a historical table of contents of the selected legal statute database based on the received effective date as a plurality of search-selectable legal statute categories each associated with one or more legal statutes, at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories being user-selectable to query the one or more legal statutes associated with the at least one of the search-selectable legal statute categories in the selected legal statute database. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification