Propositional Logic for Automated Reasoning in Legal Expert Systems
Rekha R Nair, Tina Babu, Pranitha Karanam · 2025
As legal systems become increasingly complex and the demand for automated decision-making grows, there is a pressing need for tools that can assist legal professionals in applying legal rules efficiently. Legal expert systems, which aim to automate the reasoning process of applying laws to specific situations, depend on effective mechanisms for legal inference. Propositional logic, a fundamental branch of logic that works with statements that can either be true or false, has been recognized for its potential in underpinning such systems due to its clarity and structure. This paper explores the application of propositional logic in automating legal reasoning within legal expert systems, particularly focusing on how legal rules can be formalized as logical propositions. These systems can then use logical inference to derive legal conclusions from a given set of facts. However, propositional logic has limitations in modeling the complexities of legal language, which often requires interpretation of contextual meaning and handling intricate conditions. The paper also explores how integrating propositional logic with advanced artificial intelligence techniques like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) can improve the system's capacity to address more sophisticated legal reasoning challenges. It highlights current obstacles, such as adapting to continuously changing legal frameworks, managing contradictions, and ensuring scalability. Finally, the paper discusses potential future research, particularly the development of hybrid systems that merge propositional logic with other reasoning approaches to create more adaptable, accurate, and effective legal expert systems.