> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.courtaid.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.courtaid.ai/legal-research-and-search/document-summaries.md).

# Document summaries

Every judgement and Act in CourtAid includes an AI-generated summary, so you can quickly understand what a document is about before reading the full text.

![Search results showing summary blurbs and action buttons](/files/p3IuYs2gX5dvS3v1guQY)

## Summaries in search results

On the **Search** page, each result card shows:

* **Title** — the full case name or legislation title
* **Date and jurisdiction** — when it was decided or published, and where
* **Topic tags** — legal categories like Contract, Consumer, Equity
* **Summary blurb** — a short plain-English description of what the document covers

This lets you scan hundreds of results quickly and decide which documents are worth opening.

## Full summary view

For a detailed breakdown, click **Summary** on any result.

![AI-generated case summary modal](/files/QIQvWqcwPa4heQOQD6S9)

The full summary includes structured sections:

| Section              | What it covers                            |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| **Case Information** | Date, judge, court, parties               |
| **Issue**            | The legal question or dispute             |
| **Law**              | Relevant legislation and legal principles |
| **Analysis**         | How the court applied the law             |
| **Significance**     | Why the case matters                      |
| **Conclusion**       | The outcome                               |

Summaries are generated by AI from the original document. Use them to orient yourself quickly, then read the source for the full detail.

## Other actions on each result

Every search result also gives you:

| Button       | What it does                                                                                                           |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Chat PDF** | Open the document and chat with it directly — see [Chat PDF](/chat-and-documents/chat-pdf.md)                          |
| **Summary**  | View the full AI summary                                                                                               |
| **Save**     | Add to a [Project](/matter-workspaces/projects.md)                                                                     |
| **Download** | Download the PDF                                                                                                       |
| **Original** | Jump to the original published source — see [Sources & citations](/legal-research-and-search/sources-and-citations.md) |

## Tips

* Use summary blurbs to triage a long results list before opening documents
* Click **Summary** when you need the structured Issue / Law / Analysis breakdown
* Save particularly useful cases to a project as you research


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# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.courtaid.ai/legal-research-and-search/document-summaries.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.