The NCCLUSTER NoteCards Library Package Randy Trigg Art Farley Xerox Corporation [For use with Notecards Release1.2. Randy Trigg 3/22/85] [Last update: 4/1/85 Randy Trigg] {phylum}release1.2>library>nccluster.dcom {phylum}release1.2>library>Boone-v-Coe.ted Loading this package causes the creation of several new Notecards types making up a card clustering facility. The principle use of clusters so far has been in the legal case analysis demo designed by Art Farley. Users who wish to create their own specialized clusters should use this package as an example. The following describes the new types defined by this package, the legal motivation for the CaseCluster, and how the package can be demo'ed using the Boone-v-Coe sample case record. The Cluster card type: The main new card type is called a Cluster. Unlike other card types, creating a Cluster causes an interlinked network of cards to be created. One of these cards is called the head cluster card. In some sense all control rests with this head card - the other members of the structure aren't "aware" that they are participating in a larger network. Operations that need to be performed to the cluster as a whole are directed from the head card. In addition to the head card there are one or more cluster "children" cards which can be of any type and are linked together in some manner at cluster creation time. Currently there is no way for the user to create an instance of the generic Cluster type (it doesn't appear in the global "Create" menu). In that sense, Cluster serves as a "mixin" for specialized cluster types. The cluster specialization described here is the CaseCluster used for experimenting with legal case analysis. The CaseCluster card type: Like every cluster type, it has a head card, which in this case is a text card containing links to a 4 child cards. After creating a CaseCluster card, the user is asked to provide a title. This will become the head card's title and will be used to generate titles for the child cards. We'll call these child cards Issues, Facts, Decision, and Rationale. Their titles are constructed by concatenating the cluster's title with the strings ":Issues", ":Facts", etc. The Issues and Decision cards are simply empty text cards. The Facts card is an instance of the new card type Facts, a specialization of a text card in which certain predefined text appears automatically at creation time. The only one of the four children containing further structure is the Rationale card, an instance of the new Rationale type. The Rationale and Argument card types: The Rationale card contains the arguments used to reach a decision for the case in question. Creating a Rationale card causes one sample argument to be constructed in the form of an Argument card and linked as a child of the Rationale card. Argument cards are instances of the Argument type, a specialization of Browser, which browse a predefined substructure. An argument structure consists of four cards representing rules and support for those rules. Specifically, there is a DecisionRule card, a LegalStatusRule card, and two RuleSupport cards. These are simply text cards containing predefined text and links. Thus, creating a CaseCluster actually builds two levels of structure, one from the definition of the CaseCluster type and a second from the Argument cards. It is our hope that the code in this package provides examples enough to allow users to define their own clusters. Operations performed on a cluster as a whole: Because the head cluster card "knows" who its children are, certain operations can be performed on the entire group at once. This is always done from the head cluster card - individual child cards of the cluster can be manipulated independently in the usual ways. The left button title bar menu of the head cluster card has an entry called "LayoutChildren". From this, the user can either layout in "Cascade" or in "Square". In the first case, the cards are moved from their current locations on the screen (or opened if not currently visible) and stacked under the head cluster card. (See the documentation on the NCSCREEN library package for further details.) Layout out in Square causes the cards to be positioned in a non-overlapping manner on the screen, if possible. If the head cluster card is closed, then any open children will also be closed. If the head cluster card is brought up (by following a link to it), then its children are also brought up and arranged in a cascade. Further description of the legal motivation of the NCCLUSTER package: The basic elements of a case brief are represented by the four cards that come up upon creation of the cluster. It is assumed we are briefing a court decision. The FACTS card holds the case history, both in terms of agreed upon facts that occurred in the world giving rise to the case and the history of legal moves made thus far (petitions, decisions, appeals). The ISSUES card is used to hold significant points about the case (like head notes for legal decisions). The decision indicates what was decided in the court decision at hand, being briefed. Finally, the RATIONALE card holds a structured representation of the arguments presented for and against the decision. A decision structure is made up of elements known as legal rules. of which there are several types. A Legal Decision rule concludes a decision, given a legal context and actions or states of the world (e.g., a contract exists and has been breached and x dollars has been spent in reliance on the contract, then x dollars rewarded to relier). A legal context is established by Legal Status and Legal Action rules that translate real-world actions into legal consequences (e.g., a letter with certain content constitutes an offer, the receiver being then in the status of offeree). Every legal rule has associated with it a SUPPORT card indicating its basis for existence (statute, principle, case law). Rules can be used in many cases. The construction and specialization of legal rules is a primary activity in the formation of legal arguments. Demo'ing the NCCLUSTER package: To demonstrate NCCLUSTER, one should build a notefile containing a text card with the contents of the TEdit file {phylum}release1.2>library>Boone-v-Coe.ted. This card should be up on the screen when a fresh instance of CaseCluster is created. When the four parts of the case come up on the screen, sample sentences from the Boone-v-Coe case record should be copied into one or more of the cluster cards. For example, the last paragraph can be copied into the Decision card and the first sentence of the record can be copied into the Facts card under LEGAL FACTS. Finally, the sample Argument card in the Rationale card should be brought up and explained according to the description above. The first time a CaseCluster is created, the user is queried as to whether the fileboxes CasesBox, IssuesBox, FactsBox, DecisionsBox, and RationalesBox should be created. Answering yes causes these boxes to be created and filed in the top level Contents box. 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