What is Scenario Analysis?
Scenario Analysis lets you describe a situation in plain English and get AI-powered legal analysis with relevant case law. It's designed for when you're not sure what to search for, or when you need to understand how the law applies to a specific set of facts.
The AI extracts citations from legal databases, verifies them, and provides analysis tailored to your jurisdiction.
How to Run an Analysis
Click "Analyze" in the sidebar
Type your situation in the text box (minimum 50 characters)
The state dropdown shows your default. Click the gear icon to change state or circuit for this search.
The button activates once you've entered at least 50 characters
The system extracts citations, verifies cases, and generates analysis
Changing Jurisdiction
Your default state and circuit come from your account settings. If you need to analyze a scenario for a different jurisdiction, click the gear icon next to the state name to change it for that specific search.
Understanding Your Results
After you submit a scenario, you'll see several components on the results screen.
Your Scenario
Displayed in a blue bubble at the top so you can reference what you asked.
Extracting Citations
Shows the cases being pulled from the analysis. Click to expand and see the full list.
Verifying Cases
Each case is verified against the database. Green checkmarks mean the case is verified and clickable. Yellow warnings mean the case couldn't be verified—use with caution.
LawCite Analysis
The AI-generated legal analysis. Includes short answer, legal framework, controlling case law, and practical considerations. Case names are clickable links.
Offense Elements (when applicable)
If your scenario involves a specific offense, the analysis may include the statutory elements the State must prove, with citations to the relevant penal code sections.
This section currently appears for Texas scenarios involving specific criminal charges. Coverage for additional states is planned.
About Unverified Cases
Cases marked with yellow warnings couldn't be verified in our database. This doesn't mean they're wrong, but you should independently verify them before relying on them. Our legal team is automatically notified to investigate and add unverified cases.
Clicking on Cases
Case names in the analysis are clickable. What happens when you click depends on whether the case is verified.
Verified Cases (Green)
Opens the full case breakdown modal with summary, key takeaways, practical guidance, holdings, and more. You can pin verified cases from here.
Unverified Cases (Yellow)
These cases aren't in our database yet. Use caution and verify independently before citing in official documents.
Asking Follow-Up Questions
At the bottom of every analysis, there's a follow-up box. Use this to ask clarifying questions or explore related issues without starting a new search.
Good Follow-Up Questions
Things to Know About Follow-Ups
• Follow-ups are free and don't count against your usage balance
• Up to 30 follow-ups per hour
• Follow-up responses are typically shorter than the initial analysis — for in-depth answers, start a new analysis
• If you cancel a follow-up, the partial response is preserved
Tip
Use Shift+Enter to add a new line in the follow-up box. Press Enter or click the send button to submit your question.
Writing Effective Scenarios
The quality of your analysis depends on how you describe your scenario. More detail leads to better, more specific analysis.
Include These Details
Good Example
"I pulled over a vehicle for speeding at 2 AM. The driver appeared extremely nervous, avoided eye contact, and his hands were shaking. When I asked him to step out of the vehicle, I noticed a strong odor of marijuana. I asked if I could search the vehicle, and he said no. Can I search anyway based on the marijuana odor?"
Too Vague
"Can I search a car if I smell marijuana?"
Missing context about the stop, driver behavior, location, and specific circumstances.
Example Scenarios
Consent Search Question
During a traffic stop, I asked the driver if I could search his vehicle. He said "I guess so" and shrugged. I found drugs in the center console. Is this a valid consent search, or was the consent too ambiguous?
Terry Stop
At 3 AM, I saw a person walking quickly away from a closed business while looking over their shoulder repeatedly. When I attempted to talk to them, they immediately turned and walked the other direction. I stopped them to investigate. Did I have reasonable suspicion for this Terry stop?
Use of Force
I attempted to arrest a suspect for an outstanding warrant. When I tried to handcuff him, he pulled away and started to run. I grabbed his arm and we both fell to the ground. I used a controlled takedown and held him down while applying handcuffs. He suffered scrapes from the fall. Was my use of force reasonable?
Miranda / Custody
I'm a detective re-interviewing a witness from a 3-year-old homicide. During the interview at my office (voluntary, she drove herself), she suddenly says "I need to tell you something - I was actually there when it happened." Before I can say anything, she starts describing how she helped the suspect dispose of the body. She was never Mirandized because she came in as a witness. Is any of this admissible? Should I stop her?
Tips for Better Results
Important Disclaimer
LawCite is a research tool, not legal advice. The AI can make mistakes. Always verify critical information and consult with your agency's legal department for official guidance. A full disclaimer is linked at the bottom of every analysis.
Advanced Settings
Click the gear icon next to your state to access advanced settings for a specific search. These settings only apply to the current search and do not change your defaults.
Include Federal Cases
Enabled by default. Turn off to search only state-specific cases. Most searches should include federal cases, as many important precedents come from federal courts.
Session-Only Settings
Advanced settings are not saved across searches. If you frequently need different settings, update your defaults in Account Settings instead.