Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Method for Conceptualising Legal Domains. An Example from the Dutch Unemployment Benefits Act

  • Published:
Artificial Intelligence and Law Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There has been much talk of the need to build intermediate models of the expertise required preparatory to constructing a knowledge-based system in the legal domain. Such models offer advantages for verification, validation, maintenance and reuse. As yet, however, few such models have been reported at a useful level of detail. In this paper we describe a method for conceptualising legal domains as well as its application to a substantial fragment of the Dutch Unemployment Benefits Act (DUBA).

We first discuss the intermediate models (called expertise models), then present a three-stage method for their construction, drawing on the CommonKADS work in knowledge acquisition, conceptual models of statute law, and the KANT method of knowledge analysis. Subsequently, we describe how these techniques were applied to the DUBA, and provide detailed examples of the resulting model. Finally, conclusions on the framework and guidelines are given as well as means of recording and presenting the various design choices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aamodt. A,. Bredeweg, B., Breuker, J.A., Duursma, C., Lockcnhoff, C., Orsvarn, K., Top, J., Valente, A. & W. van de Velde, W. (1992). The CommonKADS Library. Document KADSI]/TI.3/VllBITR/005/1.0, Amsterdam.

  • Aarnio, A. (1987). The Rational as Reasonable; A Treatise an Legal Justification. Law and Philosophy Library. D. Reidel Publishing Company: Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J.F, (1984). Towards a General Theory of Action and Time. Artificial Intelligence 23(2): 123–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andringa, L., Bandringa, J. & Vos, P. (1987). De Werkloosheidsuitkering na de Stelselherziening, Sociale Verzekeringswetten. Kluwer: Deventer [in Dutch].

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashley, K.D. (1990). Modelling Legal Argument. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bench-Capon, T.J.M. (1987). Support for Policy Makers: Formulating Legislation with the Aid of Logical Models. In Proceedings of The First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, 181–1 89. Boston, MA.

  • Bench-Capon, T.J.M. & Cuenen, F.P. (1992). Isomorphism and Legal Knowledge Based Systems. Artificial Intelligence and Law l(1): 65–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bratley, P., Fremont, J., Mackaay, E. & Poulin, D. (1993). Coping with Change. In Proceedings of The Third International Conference on AI and Law, 69–76. ACM Press: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breuker, J.A. & den Haan, N. (1991). Separating World and Regulation Knowledge: Where Is the Logic? In Proceedings of The Third International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law, 92–97. Oxford.

  • Breuker, J.A. & van de Velde, V. (1994). CommonKADS Library for Expertise Modelling, Reusable Problem Solving Components. IOS Press: Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer, P.W. (1990). Samenhang in recht, Een analytische studie, Rechtswetenschappelijke reeks. Wolters-Noordhoff: Groningen [in Dutch].

  • Brownston, L., Farell, K., Kant, L. & Martin, N. (1985). Programming Expert Systems in OPS5. Addison Wesley: Reading, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bylander, T. & Chandrasekaran, B. (1987). Generic Tasks for Knowledge-Based Reasoning: The "Right" Level of Abstraction for Knowledge Acquisition International Journal of Man-Machine Studies 26: 23 1–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clancey, W.J. (1986). Representing Control Knowledge as Abstract Tasks and Metarules. In Coombs, M.J. & Bolc, L. (cds.) Computer Expert Systems. Springer-Verlag: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, F.P. & Bench-Capon, T.J.M. (1993). Maintenance of Knowledge Based Systems: Theory Techniques und Tools. Academic Press: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, P.R. & Feigenbaum, E.A. (1983). Planning and Problem Solving. In Cohen, P.R. & Feigenbaum, E.A. (eds.) The Handbook of Artificia1 Intelligence, Vol. 111, 516–562. Pitman Books: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R. (1980). Meta-Rules: Reasoning about Control. Artificial Intelligence 15: 179–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franken, H. (1987). InLeiden tot de Rechtswetenschap, Gouda Quint: Arnhem [in Dutch].

  • Franken, H. (1988). Systeemtheorie en rechtswetenschap. In Klanderman, J.H.M. & Roos, N.H.M. (eds.), Interne en Externe Analyses van Recht, 205–247. W.E.J. Tjeenk Willink: Zwolle [inDutch].

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, A. v.d. L. (1987). An Artficial Intelligence Approach to Legal Reasoning. The MIT Press: Cambridge, MA. Kingdom.

    Google Scholar 

  • Georgeff, M.P. (1987). Planning. Annual Review of Computer Science 2: 359–400; also In Alen, J., Hendler, J. & Tate, A. (eds.) Readings in Planning, 5–25. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers: San Mateo, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groendijk, C. & Oskamp, A. 1993). Case Recognition and Strategy Classification. In Proceedings of The Fourth International Conference on Artificial lntelligence and Law, 125–132. Amsterdam.

  • Gruber, T.R. (1992). Ontolingua: A Mechanism to Support Portable Ontologies. Technical report KSL 91–66, Stanford University, Knowledge Systems Laboratory, Stanford, U.S.A.

  • Hart, H.L.A. (1961). The Concept of Law, Clarendon Law Sciences. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes-Roth, B. (1988). A Blackboard Architecture for Control. In Readings in Distributed Artificial Intelligence, 505–540. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers: San Mateo, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heijst, G. van (1995). The Role of Ontologies in Knowledge Engineering. Doctoral Thesis, University of Amsterdam.

  • Kowalski, R.A. & Sergot, M.J. (1986). A Logic Based Calculus of Events. New Generation Computing 4(1): 67–95; also in Thanos & Schmidt (eds.) Knowledge Based Management Systems. Springer-Verlag Heidelberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kralingen, R.W. van & Visser, P.R.S. (1991). Een strategisch interactief expertsysteem voor het opstellen van tenlasteleggingen. In van der Spek, B.R. & Treur, J. (eds.) Al Toepassingen 1991, 163–173. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: Amsterdam [in Dutch].

    Google Scholar 

  • Kralingen, R.W. van (1993). Frame-Based Conceptual Models of Statute Law, Computer Law Series, VoI. 16. Kluwer Law International: The Hague.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDermott, D. (1993). Book Review: D.B. Lenat, and R.V. Guha, Building Large Knowledge-Based Systems: Representation and Inference in the Cyc Project. Artificial Intelligence 61: 53–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell, A. (1982). The Knowledge Level. Artificial Intelligence 18: 87–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oskamp, A. (1993). Model for Knowledge,and Legal Expert Systems. Artificial Intelligence and Law l(4): 245–276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prakken, H. (1993). Logical Tools for Modelling Legal Argument. Doctoral Thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

  • Routen, T.W. & Bench-Capon, T.J.M. (1991). Hierarchical Formalizations. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies 35: 6S93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruiter, D.W.P. (1993). Institutional Legal Facts; Legal Powers and their Effects, Law and Philosophy Library. D. Reidel/Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sartor, G. (1992). Normative Conflicts in Legal Reasoning. Artificial Intelligence and Law l(2–3): 209–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sergot, M.J., Cory, H.T., Hammond, P., Kowalski, R.A., Kriwaczek, F. & Sadri, F. (1986). Formalisation of the British Nationality Act. In Arnold, C. (ed.) Yearbook of Law, Computers and Technology, Vol. 2. Butterworths: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan, Y.H. & Treur, J. (1991). Constructive Default Logic and the Control of Defeasible Reasoning. Report TR-280, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

  • Tate, A., Hendler, J. & Drummond, M. (1990). A Review of AI Planning Techniques. In Alen, J., Hendler. J. & Tate, A. (eds.) Readings in Planning, 26–49. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers: San Mateo, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thornton, G.C. (1987). Legislative Drafting, 3rd edition. Butterworths: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valente, A. (1995). Legal Knowledge Engineering; A Modelling Approach. Doctoral Thesis, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam. IOS Press, Ohmsa: Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vermesan, A.I. & Bench-Capon, T.J.M. (1995). Techniques for the Verification and Validation of Knowledge Based Systems; A Survey Based on the Symbol/Knowledge Level Distinction. Software Testing, Verification and Reliability, in press.

  • Visser, P.R.S. (1995a). Knowledge Specification for Multiple Legal Tasks; A Case Study of the Interaction Problem in the Legal Domain, Computer/Law Series, Vol. 17. Kluwer Law International: The Hague.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visser, P.R.S. (1995b). FRAMER!.Source code of a Legal Knowledge System That Performs Assessment and Planning, Reports on Technical Research in Law, Vol. 2, No. 1. University of Leiden: Leiden.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visser, P.R.S. & Bench-Capon, T.J.M. (1996). The Formal Specification of a Legal Ontology. In Proceedings of The Ninth International Conference on Legal Knowledge-Based Systems (JURIX'96). Tilburg, to appear.

  • Wielinga, B.J., van de Velde, W., Schreiber, A.Th. & Akkermans, J.M. (1992). The CommonKADS Framework for Knowledge Modelling, deliverable KADS-II/TI IIPPIUvIV35/1.O. University of Amsterdam: Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wildt, J.H. de (1993). Rechters en Vage Normen, een jurimetrisch onderzoek naar de uitleg van het begrip 'passende arbeid' uit de Werkloosheidswet. Gouda Quint: Arnhem [in Dutch].

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, L69 7ZF, United Kingdom

    Pepijn Visser & Trevor Bench-Capon

  2. Department of Law and Computer Science, University of Leiden, P.O. Box 9521, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands (E-mail

    Jaap van den Herik

Authors
  1. Pepijn Visser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Trevor Bench-Capon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jaap van den Herik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Visser, P., Bench-Capon, T. & van den Herik, J. A Method for Conceptualising Legal Domains. An Example from the Dutch Unemployment Benefits Act. Artificial Intelligence and Law 5, 207–242 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008256322911

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008256322911

Search

Navigation