What the summary covers
Legal texts follow conventions that make them precise but slow to read: recitals before the operative part, definitions that change the meaning of everything after them, cross-references to other articles. With the Legal document type, the AI organises the summary around the questions a reader actually has:
- What is this and whom does it concern? Court, authority or author; parties or addressees; date and reference number when stated.
- The question at issue — the dispute, the legal problem or the purpose of the rule.
- The decision or the rule — the operative part of a judgment, the obligations created by a statute or regulation.
- The reasoning — the main grounds, in the order the text gives them.
- Dates, deadlines and obligations — entry into force, transition periods, time limits for appeal or compliance.
- What changes in practice — for whom, from when.
Article and section numbers are kept, because in law the exact reference matters more than a paraphrase.
How to summarize a legal document
- Upload the PDFDownload the ruling or the consolidated text from the official source and drop it here. Scanned filings are read with OCR.
- Keep “Legal document” selectedUse Detailed for a case note, Comprehensive for long regulations with many chapters.
- Choose your output languageRead a German judgment in English, or an EU regulation in your own language.
- Ask about specific provisions“What does Article 12 require?”, “What is the deadline to appeal?”, “Which exceptions apply to small companies?”.
- Go back to the sourceUse the article and page references to check the original wording before relying on it.
Good uses
- Case law research — screen judgments quickly and keep consistent case notes.
- Compliance — understand what a new regulation requires and from when.
- Students — prepare for seminars with the facts, issue, holding and reasoning of each case.
- Citizens and small businesses — read an official decision, a notice or a regulation without a law degree.
What to watch out for
- Consolidated versions. Laws are amended over time; summarize the consolidated version if you need the rule as it applies today.
- Annexes and tables can carry essential details (thresholds, lists of products). Ask about them explicitly.
- Jurisdiction. The AI explains the text in front of it; it does not check whether higher courts have since overruled a decision or whether national law changes its effect.
- Legal advice. A summary helps you understand and prepare. Decisions with consequences need a qualified lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Can it summarize long regulations with hundreds of articles?
Yes, up to 300 pages. Long texts are read in parts and the notes are merged, so later chapters are covered as well as the first ones. Choose Comprehensive for a chapter-by-chapter overview.
Does it give the case holding?
For judgments, the summary states the decision (what the court ruled) and the main grounds. Ask “What is the holding?” in the Q&A tab for a one-paragraph answer with the paragraph reference.
Can I use it on contracts?
For contracts and agreements, use the dedicated contract summarizer: it focuses on parties, obligations, payment, termination and risky clauses.
Is it suitable for confidential filings?
The PDF is deleted after text extraction and the text after 60 minutes; nothing is used for AI training. Check your firm's policy on cloud tools before uploading privileged material.
Which languages work?
Any common language as input, 20 languages as output. Legal terms that have no exact equivalent are kept in the original language with an explanation when needed.