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About Casetext

Casetext Review: Online Legal Research

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Lawyerist Rating for Castext

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Rating Breakdown

Our Rating: 4.6/5

Our rating is based on our subjective judgment. Use our resources—including our rating and community ratings and reviews—to find the best fit for your firm.

Community Rating: 5/5 (based on 1 rating)

The community rating is based on the average of the community reviews below.

Composite Rating: 4.7/5

The composite rating is a weighted average of our rating and the community ratings below.

4.7/5

Overview
Featured Rating

What is Casetext?

Casetext is a robust online legal research tool that uses artificial intelligence (CARA) to assist with brief review and inform search results to help lawyers enhance their research process. Our review of Casetext pricing finds a single-tier for all of its resources, which includes Statutes, Regulations, and Case Law in the Federal Courts and all fifty States. Its citator, SmartCite, also leverages its CARA tool to help find the most relevant cases for your specific fact-pattern. Additionally, it adds an extra orange “flag” to indicate when a case is still good law, but relies on an overruled opinion.

Starting Cost: $65/user/month

Pros
  • Price
  • Citation Check
  • Integrations
Cons
  • Limited Secondary Sources
  • No Open API
  • No Public Records
Overview
Featured Ratings

Casetext Review: Online Legal Research Features

Customer Experience & Support

/5

Price & Value

/5

Security

/5

Innovation & Future-Proofing

/5

Overview
Featured Rating
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Casetext Review: Online Legal Research Video

Compare with Other Online Legal Research Products Download the Field Guide

Product Details

Apps
  • Web
Software Integrations
  • Clio
  • FileVine
  • Docketbird
  • Hire an Esquire

Core Features

For Online Legal Research, the following are essential features, and you should therefore expect to see a check in every box in this section.

Yes
No

Free Trial

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI legal assistants can help you identify relevant cases and statutes, and may even help you draft your brief.

Natural Language Search

Can you search by entering a question in normal language rather than keywords or Boolean connectors and phrases?

Boolean Search

With Boolean operators like AND, OR, and more, you can precisely target your search query.

Case Summaries

Citation Checking

A citation checker helps you identify whether a case or statute has been overruled, modified, or reversed or repealed.

Filter Search

Can you restrict your search to certain parts or features of cases and statutes, like the date, judge, or jurisdiction?

Research History

Research history makes it easier to find the results of previous searches or see if the law has changed with new results.

Research Folders

Organize your research history into folders.

PDF/Word Downloads

Download cases and statutes as a formatted PDF or Word document.

Suggestions

When you run a search, get suggestions for additional searches to run or material you should look at.

Alerts

Flag key cases so that you get an email notification if it is cited in a new case, statute, or secondary source.

Open API

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I use Casetext?

Casetext is a web-based tool that can be used from any modern browser.

What is the price of Casetext?

Casetext has three tiers of pricing, Starter, Advantage, and Pro. Starter limits the amount of searches you can perform per month, so most attorneys will likely opt for Advantage at $100 per month.

Does Casetext integrate with my Law Practice Management Software?

No. Casetext does not integrate directly with any Law Practice Management Software.

Does Casetext have a MS Word plugin?

No. Casetext does not have an MS Word plug-in.

Does Casetext search caselaw?

Yes. Casetext covers Federal case law, state case law, federal and state statutes, and much more. Its Case Analysis Research Assistant (CARA) can help analyze this information as well.

What secondary sources does Casetext have?

Although Casetext has searchable secondary sources, it can be somewhat limited. If this is important to you, we suggest you contact the company directly.

Is Casetext reliable?

Yes. Casetext is a reliable online legal research database.

Is Casetext difficult to use?

No. Casetext is not difficult to use. Even its CaraAI and brief search platforms are easy for attorneys to manage.

Can I get docket information from Casetext?

No. At the time of this review, it does not appear that users can find any docket information directly on Casetext.

Does Casetext have reminders and alerts?

At the time of this review, Casetext does not have reminders and alerts.

Additional Details about Casetext

Case Analysis. The Case Analysis Research Assistant, or CARA, is Casetext’s AI-backed legal research tool that helps discover relevant cases and briefs based on documents (complaints, briefs, and memos) uploaded to CARA. After uploading, CARA will analyze the brief and make all subsequent research more intelligent, instantly returning relevant cases that are on the same facts, legal issues, jurisdiction, and motion at issue. It will also surface relevant statutes, articles, and briefs filed by other attorneys on the same topic. This removes doubt about missing something after spending countless hours on research.

Citator Service. Casetext’s citator service, SmartCite, is also informed by its AI assistant, CARA. Like most other citators, it will indicate bad law, good law, and cases that may be problematic. However, SmartCite will also indicate when cases rely on opinions that have been subsequently overruled.

Secondary Sources. Casetext, unfortunately, does not have much in the way of Secondary Sources. Unlike LexisNexis or WestLaw, it is mainly a Case Law, Statute, and Rules resource. Lawyers won’t find much proprietary resources, treatises, or journal articles. However, their website has great information on free and affordable secondary source tools.

Who CaseText is For

Casetext is a good option for firms of all sizes who need to perform online legal research using primary sources. Specifically, those who are price-conscious, but need something more than Google Scholar will likely find the most benefit. CaseText pricing is a single-tier, per-user model that is easy to understand. Further, by using CARA, solo and small firms may be able to leverage limited resources to derive even more benefit than larger firms.

On the other hand, attorneys who often rely on proprietary secondary sources, will likely want to supplement Casetext with another research tool, which may increase the overall price.

Who Casetext is for

Casetext is a good option for firms of all sizes who need to perform online legal research using primary sources. Specifically, those who are cost-conscious, but need something more than Google Scholar will likely find the most benefit. This is because they use a single-tier, per-user, pricing model that is easy to understand. Further, by using CARA, solo and small firms may be able to leverage limited resources to derive even more benefit than larger firms.

On the other hand, attorneys who often rely on proprietary secondary sources, will likely want to supplement Casetext with another research tool.

Not sure where to begin? Download our Field Guide

Take the guesswork out of researching, purchasing, and implementing the right legal tech products and services for your law firm. Our Field Guide answers your essential questions and breaks down the features most important to your business, so you can buy with confidence.

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Casetext Community Reviews

5

Based on 1 Rating

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  • Shayla D. says:
    September 13, 2019 at 5:42 am

    They don't discriminate against alleged "non-lawyers"

    Out of all of these “exclusive” AI sites, CaseText is the only one that understands that you don’t have to have a bar card to be a lawyer. In fact, the SCOTUS has affirmed this fact multiple times. Other company’s just don’t get that. With the rise of pro se litigants these days, one would think that SOMEONE would catch on, but no….

    I wish CaseText had as robust tools as Westlaw, but Westlaw is an ABSOLUTE joke.

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