Legal Mock Trial Simulator

Application Purpose

The Legal Mock Trial Simulator is an AI-powered web application designed to assist legal professionals, including attorneys and paralegals, in preparing for trials. It analyzes uploaded PDF case documents and evidence to generate potential arguments, counter-arguments, and rebuttals. The goal is to provide a creative starting point for users to enhance their case strategies and defenses, leveraging modern AI tools in a simple, professional interface.

Key Features

• PDF Document Intake: Users can upload multiple PDF legal case documents and evidence files. The application extracts text from these documents for analysis.
• AI-Powered Argument Generation: Based on the ingested documents and user settings, the AI generates comprehensive arguments for relevant legal counts or claims. This includes:
  • The initiating party's argument.
  • The opposing party's potential counter-argument.
  • A potential rebuttal from the initiating party.
• Role Selection: Users can specify whether they represent the "Plaintiff" or "Defendant," tailoring the AI's output.
• Access Key Authentication: Secure access using pre-defined Access Keys, restricting application usage to authorized individuals.
• Fine-Tuning Settings: Intuitive options to refine AI output:
  • Argument Depth: (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced)
  • Focus Areas: Prioritize specific legal claims (e.g., Breach of Contract, Negligence).
  • Argumentative Tone: (Aggressive, Conservative, Balanced)
  • Citation Request: Option for AI to attempt citing document sections.
• Usage Management: Client-side daily simulation limits to manage potential AI API costs, with notifications and options to request increases.
• User Support: In-app help request system and a user guide.
• Legal Disclaimer: Users must acknowledge the AI-generated nature of the content and its limitations.
• Professional UI/UX: Designed to be extremely simple, stylish, sleek, minimalist, and professional for ease of use by legal professionals.

Technology Stack

• Frontend: React (TypeScript, Vite/ESM setup), Tailwind CSS
• AI Integration: Google Gemini API (@google/genai SDK) for argument generation.
• PDF Processing: pdf.js for client-side text extraction from PDF files.
• Deployment Target: Google Cloud Run (as a static site or containerized application).

How it was Built

The application is a single-page application (SPA) built with React and TypeScript. State management is handled within React components using hooks (useState, useEffect, useCallback).

1. Authentication: Users enter an Access Key. This key is validated against a predefined list.
2. File Upload: PDF files are selected, and pdf.js extracts their text content in the browser.
3. Settings Configuration: Users adjust parameters like their role, desired argument depth, tone, etc.
4. AI Prompt Construction: A detailed prompt is constructed for the Gemini API, incorporating the extracted PDF text, user settings, and specific instructions for the desired output format (arguments, counter-arguments, rebuttals per claim).
5. Gemini API Call: The generateContent method of the Gemini API is called with the constructed prompt.
6. Results Display: The AI's textual response is parsed and displayed in a structured, readable format.
7. Client-Side Features: Disclaimer acceptance, daily usage limits, and help requests are managed client-side using localStorage and mailto: links, respectively.

Disclaimer

This application is for demonstration and mock trial preparation purposes only. AI-generated content can be inaccurate or incomplete and should always be verified by qualified legal professionals. It is not a substitute for professional legal advice.