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How to use AllSearch in a Criminal Trial
How to use AllSearch in a Criminal Trial
Elaine Cheek avatar
Written by Elaine Cheek
Updated over a week ago

AllSearch can be a powerful tool for a litigator in a criminal trial. You can create your own database for the case, uploading your discovery, pleadings, transcripts, expert reports, forensic reports, etc. This can be a valuable tool for finding information quickly. (For information on creating your database, see this article.)

AllSearch allows you to search your discovery for concepts related to your case. The following example uses a database of text messages and emails from the Enron case.

If you wanted to find out which employees had knowledge of what were later alleged to be criminal acts, you could search your discovery for a phrase like โ€œI feel uneasy about this.โ€

Once your database is selected, type your concept in the search bar:

You can see that AllSearch returned 50 results. These results are not keyword searches. The AI is not looking for the exact words, but instead similar concepts.

Here are some examples from the search which the AI determined were similar in concept to the search query:

As you can see, the AI was able to find text messages containing concepts similar to feeling uneasy.

Using AllSearch allows you to find information quickly even if you do not remember the exact phrasing. You may remember the gist of what a witness said from a prior reading of your discovery, but it may be impossible to find using a traditional keyword search. Without having to reread all your discovery to find the statement you remember, AllSearch will find it for you by simply remembering the general idea of what was said.

Using AllSearch could help you in court, to quickly find impeachment evidence, or while preparing for trial, to quickly find concepts needed for an argument or line of questioning.

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