Legal information is a difficult type of information to handle.
Relationships in legal information are often complex and deeply rooted in legal method, norms and principles. While the thesis is mainly technology-focused, it contains a rather broad introduction to research on Legal Information Systems in the Semantic Web research area.
Wikis are simple conveyers of information that can be used to transfer information ranging from micro-content to large documents. The thesis proposes extending traditional wikis by using ISO/IEC 13250 Topic Maps as a technology for interconnecting and storing understanding of legal information - forming a Semantic Wiki. By combining simplicity and exposition of information relationships, one enables - among other things - more manageable information. In addition to being a simple and efficient technology for handling evolving information, the combination of wikis and topic maps may be of assist in finding the right information.
Semantic Wikis may very well be suited for internal and external use by legal practitioners, students and scholars, both to create - and replace existing – legal knowledge bases. The thesis was part of the author's research while employed as a research assistant at the Norwegian Research Centre for Computers and Law, University of Oslo and was handed in for his Master of Informatics degree at Department of Informatics, University of Oslo in November 2007.
Les hele utgivelsen CompLex 2008-03 (pdf)