New Explorations in Legal Research through Big Data Technologies
Main Article Content
Abstract
Traditional legal research methods originated before the era of large-scale data. Although they remain suitable for case-by-case analysis, they are less effective when applied to large, heterogeneous, and continuously updated datasets. This study explores new legal research methods enabled by big data technology, focusing on legal pattern recognition, compliance risk assessment, intelligent retrieval, and knowledge graph construction. The Legal-BERT prediction model achieves 89.3% accuracy in case outcome prediction tasks, while a three-dimensional compliance risk index based on the analytic hierarchy process reaches a coverage rate of 88.4%. Sustained monitoring through big data mechanisms reduces the overall system risk index by 35.0%. In addition, the combination of the Legal-BERT-enhanced retrieval system and the Legal-Gen document summarization tool improves research efficiency by 74.5%. An art copyright knowledge graph reaches an expert overlap rate of 83.7% in related regulation discovery tasks. These results indicate that big data technology acts as a methodological accelerator for legal research rather than a substitute for legal judgment. It makes knowledge production more systematic and efficient, and provides a replicable methodological reference for computational jurisprudence, digital compliance governance, and legal practice innovation in data-intensive engineering and platform environments.
Downloads
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
References
F. A. Povh, M. Frischhut, and N. Mosenhauer, “Access and Re-Use of Research Data in Horizon Europe: The Case for Regulatory Modernisation Through Balancing Mechanisms Inspired by Recent EU Data Law,” IIC - International Review of Intellectual Property and Competition Law, vol. 56, no. 8, pp. 1-34, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s40319-025-01637-x.
S. E. Echeverría, “Integrating environmental sustainability into EU data law and governance: The case of health data,” Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 512-521, 2025, DOI: 10.1111/reel.12614.
A. A. R. Nnangsope, “Examining the applicability of hard data protection law on demographically identifiable information (DII): the case of humanitarian UAV/drone images in Malawi,” Journal of International Humanitarian Action, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 12-12, 2025, DOI: 10.1186/s41018-025-00174-z.
I. Conde, Y. Li, and P. R. Vyas, “Global Companies and China’s Data Privacy Laws: Analysing DIDI’S Case and Regulatory Compliance Implications,” Chinese Journal of Transnational Law, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 60-81, 2025, DOI: 10.1177/2753412X241288770.
Y. Fu, “Legal Risks and Optimization Suggestions for the Digital Transformation of Dyeing and Finishing Enterprises under the Background of Big Data,” Textile Auxiliaries, vol. 42, no. 12, pp. 10-13+18, 2025.
C. Sieling and P. V. J. M. Campen, “Legal aspects of copyright and data protection in the use of pathology images on social media,” Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany), vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 1-6, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s00292-025-01430-0.
P. Pałka, F. Lagioia, R. Liepina, et al., “Make privacy policies longer and appoint LLM readers,” Artificial Intelligence and Law, to be published, pp. 1-33, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s10506-025-09442-0.
D. Heerdt, S. Jain, and A. Duval, “Athletes as multifarious rightsholders: a new frontier for transnational sports law research and practice,” The International Sports Law Journal, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 1-9, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s40318-025-00327-7.
A. N. Mohamed, S. M. M. Rahma, and A. M. Hemairy, “Challenges and prospects in granting patent rights to AI-generated inventions: a global legal study with special reference to the UAE,” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1851-1851, 2025, DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-06121-y.
H. B. Moore, “The JLS at 50: Art, literature and socio-legal studies,” Journal of Law and Society, vol. 52, no. S1, Art. no. S202-S215, 2025, DOI: 10.1111/jols.12542.
G. N. Rasul, “Welcome To New Feminist Legal Studies Editorial Board Members,” Feminist Legal Studies, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 1-3, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s10691-025-09580-5.
W. Cheng, Q. Huang, and Q. Zhang, “Legal Protection of Personal Information of Financial Consumers under the Background of Big Data,” Shanghai Business, no. 11, pp. 226-228., 2025.
X. Pei, “Legal Regulation Research on the Risk of Personal Information Misuse in the Era of Big Data,” Legality Vision, no. 24, pp. 40-42, 2025.
N. Cui, “Legal Control Pathways for Government Data Aggregation Risks under the Background of Big Data,” Market Weekly, vol. 38, no. 21, pp. 136-139, 2025.
F. Borgesano, D. A. Maio, P. Laghi, et al., “Artificial intelligence and justice: a systematic literature review and future research perspectives on Justice 5.0,” European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 349-385, 2025, DOI: 10.1108/EJIM-01-2025-0117.
L. S. Grace, “Finding Equilibrium: An Integrative Approach to Balancing Human and Artificial Intelligence in Legal Research,” Legal Reference Services Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 3, pp. 230-263, 2025, DOI: 10.1080/0270319X.2025.2534229.
C. A. M. Dizon, “Socio-legal study of technology: A norms and values approach to hacking and encryption law and policy,” Computer Law & Security Review: The International Journal of Technology Law and Practice, vol. 52, Art. no. 105958, 2024, DOI: 10.1016/j.clsr.2024.105958.
C. Stewart, C. Rudge, F. G. Tomossy, et al., “Desktop Legal Research and Human Ethics Review: Problems of Juridification and “Ethics-Creep”,” Journal of Law and Medicine, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 36-48, 2025.
D. C. Schmit, S. Burris, A. S. Karim, et al., “A Call for Formal Reporting Standards for Legal Research in Public Health Studies,” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 115, no. 11, pp. 1779-1782, 2025, DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2025.308246.
S. Nolan and T. Striepe, “Effectiveness of Research Plans: A Case Study,” Legal Reference Services Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 339-375, 2025, DOI: 10.1080/0270319X.2025.2571319.
D. Perwitasari, B. Santoso, Yunanto, et al., “Advancing the SDGs Through Notarial Practice: The Intersection of Progressive Law and Adaptive Legal Instruments,” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1537, no. 1, Art. no. 012069, 2025, DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1537/1/012069.
A. A. Najib, S. M. Kawali, and C. E. Amelia, “Reconsidering the Export of the Sea Sand: A Legal Study of Its Impact on Regional Autonomy and the Environment,” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1537, no. 1, Art. no. 012021, 2025, DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1537/1/012021.
A. Blackham, “Interrogating new methods in socio-legal studies: Content analysis, case law and artificial intelligence,” Alternative Law Journal, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 85-90, 2025, DOI: 10.1177/1037969X251325869.
D. Chang, “Difficulties and Breakthroughs in the Legal Protection of Personal Information in the Era of Big Data,” Legality Vision, no. 13, pp. 44-46., 2025.
P. Sasvári and F. G. Lendvai, “The overrepresentation of the United States in the field of legal studies in the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators,” Journal of Informetrics, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 101680-101680, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2025.101680.
A. Decoster, “Men in/and Law: Developing ‘Critical Legal Studies of Men and Masculinities’,” Feminist Legal Studies, to be published, pp. 1-21, 2025, DOI: 10.1007/s10691-025-09573-4.
V. Magesh, F. Surani, M. Dahl, et al., “Hallucination-Free? Assessing the Reliability of Leading AI Legal Research Tools,” Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 216-242, 2025, DOI: 10.1111/jels.12413.
P. L. Eugara, N. G. Saribulan, and R. Meilani, “Law, Precarious Labour, and Posted Workers: A Sociolegal Study on Posted Work in the EU,” British Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 63, no. 4, pp. 610-611, 2025, DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12883.
L. Yan, “Legal Protection Pathways for Enterprise Data Empowerment under the Background of Big Data,” Journal of Zhangjiakou Polytechnic College, vol. 37, no. 03, pp. 5-8, 2024, DOI: 10.16220/j.cnki.cn13-1248/g4.2024.03.006.
R. E. Nafad, S. A. Mohamed, M. A. H. Fahmy, et al., “A Descriptive Medico-legal Study of Suspicious Elderly Population Deaths in Cairo, Egypt,” Journal of Forensic Science and Medicine, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 139-146, 2025, DOI: 10.4103/jfsm.jfsm_63_24.
V. C. M. Hout, B. U. Klankwarth, and H. Stöver, “Conjugal visitation rights, privileges and standards of provision inside European prisons: A socio-legal study of extant literature,” Social Science & Medicine, vol. 374, Art. no. 117879, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117879.
A. Z. Enizi and A. Ghandour, “Legal aspects of responsibility for publishing or re-publishing incorrect information on social media (a study in UAE law),” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 52-52, 2025, DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04198-5.
S. Xu, “Research on Legal Regulation of Algorithmic Discrimination in the Era of Big Data,” Industrial Innovation Research, no. 17, pp. 99-101, 2024.
J. P. McLaughlin, “AI and Law Librarians: Introducing the Idea of Creating a Legal Information Research Team to Prepare Students for the Practice of Law,” Legal Reference Services Quarterly, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 2-21, 2025, DOI: 10.1080/0270319X.2025.2444747.
M. Balachandran and C. Rabbiraj, “Legal study on the role and importance of technology in education for children with disabilities,” International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 154-169, 2025, DOI: 10.1504/IJKL.2025.145084.
B. A. Berzina, S. P. Berzin, A. R. Volynets, et al., “Healthcare fraud in the United States of America and Ukraine: A compar ative legal research,” Wiadomosci Lekarskie, vol. 78, no. 6, pp. 967-973, 2025, DOI: 10.36740/WLek/207347.
A. Raliat, “Legal Research without Barriers: Free Legal Databases as Alternatives for Law Students - CORRIGENDUM,” International Journal of Legal Information, vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 300-300, 2025, DOI: 10.1017/jli.2025.10075.
Y. Wang, X. Han, H. Lu, et al., “Legal Risks of Big Data Supervision and Regulatory Pathways,” China Price Regulation and Anti-Monopoly, no. 5, pp. 92-94, 2024.
I. P. Ukam, A. P. Onuh, I. D. Nnaji, et al., “How engagement in internet fraud impact academic activities of under-graduate students in Nigeria: A socio-legal study,” Cogent Social Sciences, vol. 10, no. 1, 2024, DOI: 10.1080/23311886.2023.2280285.
Sadino and B. Wiyono, “Law study about confirmation of forest area towards legal certainty of forest area in Indonesia,” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1407, no. 1, pp. 012018-012018, 2024, DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1407/1/012018.
N. Lisina, A. Ushakova, and S. Ivanova, “Green Belt Legislation Regulation: Comparative Legal Research,” Laws, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 58-58, 2024, DOI: 10.3390/laws13050058.
A. Biro, B. Ludes, and T. Delabarde, “Who are they? A retrospective study of unidentified bodies in Institute of Medical-Legal Paris from 2018 to 2023,” Forensic Sciences Research, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. owae051, 2024, DOI: 10.1093/fsr/owae051.
Y. Chi, “Analysis of Legal Protection Pathways for Intellectual Property in the Era of Big Data,” Legality Vision, no. 11, pp. 72-74, 2024.
P. Johnson and J. Gibson, “Thirty Years of Legal Research: An Empirical Analysis of Outputs Submitted to RAE and REF (1990-2021),” The Modern Law Review, vol. 88, no. 1, pp. 85-123, 2024, DOI: 10.1111/1468-2230.12913.
K. Deng, X. Deng, H. Luo, et al., “Academic visualization study of aesthetic medicine management and related legal research since 2000,” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, vol. 23, no. 8, pp. 2697-2710, 2024, DOI: 10.1111/jocd.16327.
N. Lettieri and A. Pluchino, “Editorial: Hammer or telescope? Challenges and opportunities of science-oriented AI in legal and sociolegal research,” Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, vol. 7, pp. 1333219-1333219, 2024, DOI: 10.3389/frai.2024.1333219.
J. Yang, “Research on Legal Protection of Enterprise Data Products in the Era of Big Data,” Western Journal, no. 19, pp. 88-91, 2025, DOI: 10.16721/j.cnki.cn61-1487/c.2025.19.015.
G. Daniel and E. Cornelia, “A Reflective Essay on Piska’s Casebook-Einführung in Die Rechtswissenschaften: Strategische Anleitung und Arbeitsbuch/Casebook-Introduction to Legal Studies: Strategic Guide and Workbook (Facultas 2019),” International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 1431-1445, 2024, DOI: 10.1007/s11196-024-10111-9.
L. Han, “Research on Knowledge Graph Construction Technology Based on Intellectual Property Legal Documents,” Journal of Intelligence and Knowledge Engineering, vol. 2, no. 1, 2024, DOI: 10.62517/JIKE.202404103.
O. Onafuwa, “LASPO 2012: ten years and beyond - a socio-legal study of the impact of legal aid cuts on service providers in England and Wales,” Legal Ethics, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 45-62, 2024, DOI: 10.1080/1460728X.2024.2399921.