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How to Use Keyword Search and Categories | Pak Legal Database

The new search system on Pak Legal Database provides powerful keyword search and category filtering to help you find exactly what you need. Follow this guide to master keyword search and category filters:

Step 1: Access the Search Page

Visit the judgments search page and you'll find a modern search interface with:

  • Keyword Search - Search within case summaries and content
  • Category Filter - Multi-select dropdown with search functionality
  • Jurisdiction Filter - Filter by court jurisdiction
  • Additional search fields for title, judge, and case number

Step 2: Using Keyword Search

The Keyword Search field searches through case summaries and judgment content. Enter precise keywords or phrases:

  • "bail exceptional circumstances"
  • "identification parade"
  • "delay in FIR"
  • "medical evidence"
  • "ocular testimony"

Tip: The keyword search uses intelligent matching to find relevant judgments even if your exact phrase appears in different contexts.

Step 3: Using Category Filters

Refine your results using the Category (Multi-select) filter:

  • Click the Select Categories button to open the dropdown
  • Use the search box inside the dropdown to quickly find categories
  • Select multiple categories by checking the boxes
  • The button will show how many categories you've selected

Available categories include:

  • Criminal Law: 302 PPC, 489-F, Acquittal, Bail after Arrest, Bail before Arrest
  • Family Law: Dower, Custody, Maintenance, Khula, DMMA
  • Taxation & Finance: Income Tax, Sales Tax, NAB, Corruption
  • Constitutional Law: Fundamental Rights, Constitutional Petitions
  • And hundreds more across all areas of Pakistani law

Example: To find cases about bail with exceptional circumstances:

  1. Enter "identification parde" in the Keyword Search field
  2. Click Select Categories and search for 302
  3. Select relevant categories like 302 PPC or Criminal Law
  4. Click Search to see filtered results within those bounds to make search easy and relevant

Step 4: Combining Keyword Search with Categories

For the most precise results, combine keyword search with category filters:

  • Keyword Search finds judgments containing your search terms
  • Category Filter narrows results to specific legal areas
  • When both are used, you'll only see judgments that match your keywords and belong to your selected categories

Pro Tip: You can select multiple categories at once. The search will return judgments that match your keywords and belong to all of your selected categories (AND logic).

Step 5: Clearing Your Search

Each search field has a clear button (×) on the right side. Click it to quickly clear individual fields:

  • Clear keyword search to start fresh
  • Uncheck categories in the dropdown to remove them
  • Or click Search with empty fields to see all judgments

How to Use Full Judgment Text - Boolean Search | Pak Legal Database

The Full Judgment Text Boolean Search field allows you to search through the entire judgment text using powerful logical operators. Unlike keyword search (which searches summaries), boolean search scans every word of the judgment, making it perfect for deep legal research.

Step 1: Access Boolean Search

On the search page, locate the Full Judgment Text - Boolean Search field. This field is separate from the Keyword Search field and searches through complete judgment texts.

Important: You can use either Keyword Search or Boolean Search, but not both at the same time. Choose the one that best fits your research needs.

Step 2: Understanding Boolean Operators

Boolean operators must be typed in CAPITAL LETTERS (AND, OR, NOT). Here's how each operator works:

1 AND

Finds judgments where both terms appear in the full text.
Example: murder AND motive
→ Returns judgments that contain both "murder" and "motive" anywhere in the text.

2 OR

Finds judgments where either term appears.
Example: robbery OR theft
→ Shows judgments that mention either "robbery" or "theft" (or both).

3 NOT

Excludes judgments containing the specified term.
Example: maintenance NOT dower
→ Finds cases discussing maintenance but excludes any that mention dower.

4 ( ) Parentheses

Group terms to control the order of operations and create complex queries.
Example: appeal AND (acquittal OR conviction)
→ Finds appeals that mention either acquittal or conviction.

Example: (murder OR homicide) AND (bail OR release)
→ Finds cases about murder/homicide that also discuss bail/release.

5 " " Exact Phrase Search

Use double quotes to search for exact phrases as they appear in judgments.
Example: "benefit of doubt"
→ Matches the exact phrase "benefit of doubt" (not just individual words).

Example: "de novo" AND inquiry
→ Finds judgments containing the exact phrase "de novo" along with the word "inquiry".

6 * Wildcard

Use an asterisk to find all words starting with a root term.
Example: constitut*
→ Matches "constitution", "constitutional", "constitutes", "constitutionalist", etc.

Example: appel*
→ Matches "appeal", "appellant", "appellate", "appealed", etc.

Real-Life Examples

  • "fatal accident" AND (damages OR compensation)
    → Finds cases about fatal accidents that discuss either damages or compensation.
  • service AND "de novo" AND (inquiry OR termination)
    → Finds service-related cases with "de novo" that mention inquiry or termination.
  • custody NOT khula
    → Shows custody cases excluding those involving khula.
  • bail* AND (exceptional OR circumstances) AND "granted"
    → Finds bail-related cases (bail, bailable, etc.) with exceptional circumstances where bail was granted.
  • (302 OR "302 PPC") AND murder AND (convict* OR acquit*)
    → Finds Section 302 cases about murder with conviction or acquittal outcomes.

Tips for Effective Boolean Search

  • Start Simple: Begin with basic AND/OR queries, then add complexity as needed.
  • Use Quotes for Legal Terms: Exact phrases like "de novo", "res judicata", or "stare decisis" work best in quotes.
  • Combine with Categories: Use category filters alongside boolean search for even more precise results.
  • Test Your Query: If results are too broad, add more AND conditions. If too narrow, use more OR conditions.
  • Wildcards Save Time: Use * to catch variations (e.g., appel* catches appeal, appellant, appellate).

How to Use Citation Search | Pak Legal Database

Citation Search allows you to find judgments by their legal citation format. This guide explains how to use the citation search fields effectively and when to use the comprehensive "Citation Search (All Journals)" tool.

Step 1: Using the Citation Search Fields

The citation search form has four fields:

  1. Journal (Required) - Select from the dropdown
  2. Year (Required) - Enter the year (e.g., 2025)
  3. Court (Optional) - Only use for PLD and PLJ
  4. Page (Required) - Enter the page number (e.g., 1, 435)

Important Warning: Only use the Court field for PLD and PLJ citations. For all other journals (SCMR, PCrLJ, MLD, etc.), the court field is automatically ignored because these citations don't include court names in their format. If you select a court for journals like SCMR or PCrLJ, your search may return no results or incorrect results.

Step 2: Search Examples

Example 1: PLD Citation

To search for PLD 2025 SC 1:

  • Journal: Select PLD
  • Year: Enter 2025
  • Court: Select Supreme Court (or leave as "Any Court" for broader results)
  • Page: Enter 1

Example 2: PLJ Citation

To search for PLJ 2010 LHC 123:

  • Journal: Select PLJ
  • Year: Enter 2010
  • Court: Select Lahore High Court
  • Page: Enter 123

Example 3: SCMR Citation (NO COURT)

To search for 2025 SCMR 435:

  • Journal: Select SCMR
  • Year: Enter 2025
  • Court: Leave as Any Court (DO NOT select a court - it will be ignored)
  • Page: Enter 435

Example 4: PCrLJ Citation (NO COURT)

To search for 2010 PCrLJ 123:

  • Journal: Select PCrLJ
  • Year: Enter 2010
  • Court: Leave as Any Court (DO NOT select a court)
  • Page: Enter 123

Step 3: Understanding Search Results

Citation search results are ranked by match quality:

  1. Exact Match: The citation exactly matches your search (highest priority)
  2. Starts With: The citation begins with your search terms
  3. Contains: The citation contains your search terms anywhere

Results are also prioritized to show human-readable names over entity IDs.

Step 4: When to Use "Citation Search (All Journals 1947-2025)"

Use the Comprehensive Citation Search Tool When:

  • You cannot find a citation using the main search form
  • You need to search across all journals from 1947 to 2025
  • You want to download a judgment copy for court use

How to Access:

Click the "CITATION SEARCH (ALL JOURNALS 1947-2025)" button located below the main search form. This opens a separate comprehensive citation search tool.

Features of the Comprehensive Tool:

  • Complete Coverage: Searches all legal journals from 1947 to 2025
  • Downloadable Copies: Download judgment copies suitable for court use
  • Slower but Thorough: This tool searches a larger database, so it may take longer but provides comprehensive results
  • All Journals: Includes every journal in the database, not just the most common ones

When to Use Each Tool:

  • Main Citation Search: Use for quick searches of common citations in recent years (faster results)
  • Citation Search (All Journals): Use when you need comprehensive coverage, older citations, or downloadable copies for court

Step 5: Tips for Effective Citation Search

  • Always include Journal, Year, and Page: These are the minimum required fields for accurate results
  • Court field only for PLD/PLJ: Remember, court is only relevant for PLD and PLJ citations
  • Use exact page numbers: Enter the exact page number from the citation
  • Year format: Use 4-digit years (e.g., 2025, not 25)
  • If no results: Try the "Citation Search (All Journals)" tool for comprehensive coverage
  • Partial searches: You can search with just Year and Journal to see all pages for that year/journal combination

Step 6: Available Journals

The citation search supports the following journals:

PLD - Pakistan Legal Decisions
PLJ - Pakistan Law Journal
ILR - Islamabad Law Reports
SCMR - Supreme Court Monthly Review
PCrLJ - Pakistan Criminal Law Journal
MLD - Monthly Law Digest
CLC - Civil Law Cases
YLR - Yearly Law Reports
SBLR - Sindh Bar Law Reports
CLD - Civil Law Digest
PTD - Pakistan Tax Decisions
SCP - Supreme Court of Pakistan
PTCL - Pakistan Tax Cases Law
NLR - National Law Reports
PCLJ - Pakistan Company Law Journal
PCLD - Pakistan Company Law Digest
LHC - Lahore High Court
PHC - Peshawar High Court
SHC - Sindh High Court
IHC - Islamabad High Court
Unreported - Unreported judgments

Step 7: Troubleshooting

No Results Found?

  1. Check your citation format: Ensure you're using the correct format for the journal type
  2. Verify court field: If searching SCMR, PCrLJ, or other year-first journals, make sure court is set to "Any Court"
  3. Try without court: For PLD/PLJ, try leaving court as "Any Court" to broaden your search
  4. Use comprehensive tool: Click "Citation Search (All Journals 1947-2025)" for complete database coverage

Wrong Results?

  • Ensure you've selected the correct journal from the dropdown
  • Double-check the year format (4 digits)
  • Verify the page number is correct
  • For PLD/PLJ, ensure the court selection matches your citation

Summary: Quick Reference

For PLD/PLJ Citations: Court field is useful - select the appropriate court.

For All Other Journals: Leave court as "Any Court" - it will be ignored.

Can't Find a Citation? Use the "Citation Search (All Journals 1947-2025)" button for comprehensive coverage and downloadable copies. This tool searches all journals from 1947 to 2025 and is a little slower but has everything. If you can't find a citation or want a copy to use in court, this is the tool to use.

SpectreGPTJ — AI Legal Assistant for Pakistan

SpectreGPTJ is powered by ChatGPT-4 and custom-trained exclusively on Pakistani legal judgments. It’s designed to help lawyers, judges, researchers, and students with real-time legal queries, research, and summaries — all through natural language.

How to Access It

Visit the Judgments page and simply click the chat icon in the bottom-right corner. You’ll instantly be connected to SpectreGPTJ, your AI legal assistant.

What Can It Do?

  • Find relevant Pakistani case law for your legal issue
  • Explain complex legal concepts and landmark decisions
  • Summarize lengthy judgments into clear and concise briefs
  • Conduct research across multiple areas of law
  • Help find citations and identify precedents

🌐 Real-Time Web Access

Unlike traditional legal tools, SpectreGPTJ is connected to the internet in real-time. It can browse the web to find updated information and enrich your legal research when needed.

🇵🇰 Built Only for Pakistan

This AI is trained exclusively on Pakistani legal data. It only shows judgments from Pakistani courts — making it the only AI-powered legal tool in Pakistan with this level of specialization.

⚠️ What to Do If It Doesn’t Respond Properly?

Sometimes, the assistant may provide repetitive or inaccurate answers, or might say it couldn't find a result even when the data exists. This can happen if the chat has been open too long or the thread becomes too long.

  • If this happens, simply click the refresh chat icon in the top-right corner to reset the conversation.
  • This gives you a clean slate and usually resolves most issues instantly. If it doesn't, refresh the chat again. If the issue persists, try a hard refresh of your browser window and refresh the chat again.

🧠 AI Hallucinations: What You Should Know

No AI model in the world is completely immune to “hallucinations” — moments when the AI confidently provides inaccurate, outdated, or made-up information. Even the most advanced systems, including OpenAI’s GPT-4.5, are not exempt from this challenge.

  • The GPT-4 Technical Report confirms improvements over earlier models but does not eliminate hallucinations.
  • Independent evaluations later showed that GPT-4o, a newer version, exhibited hallucination rates of up to 61.8% in open-ended tasks — which were reduced to 37.1% in GPT-4.5 (Reuters).
  • SpectreGPTJ minimizes such risks by being trained exclusively on structured Pakistani legal data. However, hallucinations may still occur — especially when the chat session gets too long, the query is overly vague or complex, or legal context is missing.

Always verify important case law and citations independently. SpectreGPTJ is a powerful research companion — but like any AI tool, it should be used as an aid, not as a replacement.

How to Use Sanction Search | Pak Legal Database

The Sanction Search tool allows you to screen individuals, companies, organizations, and entities against global sanctions and watchlists. Search across 4.229 million entities from 316 datasets covering sanctions, watchlists, PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons), and compliance databases worldwide to ensure AML/KYC compliance.

Step 1: Entity Search

The Entity Search field searches through names, aliases, and identifiers simultaneously. Enter any of the following:

  • Personal names: John Smith, Nawaz Sharif
  • Company names: Huawei, Bank Melli
  • Identifiers: Passport numbers, company registration numbers, or other public identifiers

Tip: The search automatically matches partial names and searches aliases, so Osama will find Usama bin Ladin if listed as an alias.

Step 2: Filter by Dataset

Use the Dataset dropdown to filter results by specific sanctions lists or watchlists:

  • Click the dropdown to see all available datasets
  • Use the search box inside the dropdown to quickly find specific datasets
  • Select a dataset to filter results to that specific list

Pakistan-Specific Datasets:

  • Pakistan NACTA Proscribed Persons - Official proscribed persons list
  • Pakistan NAB Mega Cases - National Accountability Bureau mega cases
  • Pakistan NAB Plea Bargain Cases - NAB plea bargain records
  • Pakistan FIA Red Book 2025 - Federal Investigation Agency most wanted

Global Coverage: UN Security Council, US OFAC SDN, EU Sanctions, UK FCDO, INTERPOL Red Notices, World Bank Debarments, and regulatory lists from over 100 countries.

Step 3: Filter by Entity Type

Use the Entity Type dropdown to narrow results by entity category:

  • Select from types like Person, Organization, Vessel, Aircraft, etc.
  • Use the search box to quickly find specific types
  • Filter helps narrow results when searching common names

Step 4: Advanced Filters

Use additional filters for more precise results:

  • Country: Filter by nationality or country mentions (e.g., Pakistan, USA, Russia)
  • Date of Birth: Filter by birth date in YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY format

Step 5: Understanding Results

Each result shows:

  • Status: SANCTIONED (red) or NOT SANCTIONED (green)
  • Entity Type: Person, Organization, etc.
  • Datasets: Which sanctions lists or watchlists the entity appears in
  • Country: Associated countries
  • Date of Birth: If available for individuals

Note: PEPs (Politically Exposed Persons) from Wikidata are marked as "NOT SANCTIONED" as they are reference data, not sanctions lists.

Real-Life Examples

  • Nawaz Sharif in Entity Search
    → Finds all records matching this name across all datasets, including aliases.
  • Huawei with Dataset: US OFAC SDN
    → Returns only Huawei-related entries from the US OFAC sanctions list.
  • Country: Pakistan with Dataset: Pakistan NACTA Proscribed Persons
    → Shows all proscribed persons from Pakistan's official NACTA list.
  • Entity Type: Organization with Country: Russia
    → Lists all sanctioned Russian organizations across all datasets.

Database Coverage

  • Total Entities: 4.229 million+ records, updated daily
  • Datasets: 316 unique global sanctions, watchlists, PEPs, and compliance databases
  • Entity Types: 30 different categories including persons, organizations, vessels, and aircraft
  • Jurisdictions: US OFAC, UN Security Council, EU, UK FCDO/HMT, Canada, Switzerland, INTERPOL, World Bank, and regulatory lists from over 100 countries
  • Use Cases: AML/KYC compliance, financial due diligence, corporate risk management, sanctions screening

How to Use the Legal Drafts Section on Pak Legal Database

The Legal Drafts section provides downloadable templates for frequently used legal documents in Pakistan. These drafts follow official court formats and can be edited directly in your preferred software.

📂 File Types

  • English Drafts: Microsoft Word files (.docx)
  • Urdu Drafts: InPage files (.inp)

⚙️ What You’ll Need

  • Microsoft Word installed to open and edit English drafts
  • InPage software installed to work with Urdu templates
  • Paper size set to Legal with standard court margins

✍️ How to Use a Draft

  • Choose your desired legal draft from the list
  • Click Download and open the file in Word or InPage
  • Replace the _______ placeholders with your facts and case details
  • Review for accuracy and print when ready

💡 Pro Tip

Using drafts saves time and avoids delays — no need to wait for a typist. These are standardized formats accepted in courts across Pakistan.

🗂️ Notes

  • All drafts are formatted for Legal-size paper
  • Margins are set according to official court standards
  • Each draft follows the standardized format used in Pakistani courts

How to Use the Legislation Section on Pak Legal Database

The Legislation section gives you access to Acts, Ordinances, Rules, and Regulations from all jurisdictions in Pakistan — all available as downloadable PDF files.

🔍 Search and Filter

  • Use the search bar to find legislation by keyword, title, or description
  • Use the Jurisdiction Filter (Federal, Punjab, Sindh, KPK, Balochistan, National Assembly) to narrow your results
  • Each law card shows its jurisdiction, promulgation date, and archive status

📄 File Format

  • All legislation is available as .pdf files
  • You can view, download, or print them as needed
  • Files are named clearly to reflect the title and year of the law

🗂️ Notes

  • All documents are in PDF format.
  • This page includes 4,500+ legislative documents from across Pakistan.

How to Use the Case Diary on Pak Legal Database

The Case Diary is a smart, calendar-based tool designed for legal professionals to organize and track upcoming cases, deadlines, notes, and related files. You can add entries with custom titles, descriptions, and color-coded categories — or create your own labels and colors for better visual clarity. Easily switch between weekly and monthly views, and securely upload documents (PDF, DOC, TXT) up to 2MB per file — all saved to your account for easy access anytime.

📅 Key Features

  • Create and manage case entries using the Add New Entry option
  • Select from preset case types (e.g., Criminal, Civil) or Create New tags with your own color codes
  • Switch between Monthly and Weekly calendar views
  • Upload related documents (.pdf, .doc, .txt) — max 2MB per file
  • Color-coded entries make it easy to distinguish between different case types or priorities

🗂️ Notes

  • Your data is stored securely in your account and editable at any time
  • Create unlimited custom colors and categories to suit your workflow
  • Keep documents under 2MB to ensure smooth and quick uploads

How to Use the Legacy Search | Pak Legal Database

The legacy search page on Pak Legal Database is designed for precise legal research. Follow this guide to search like a proon our old UI:

Step 1: Access the Judgments Page

Visit paklegaldatabase.com/judgements and you'll find:

  • Keyword search bar
  • Citation search bar
  • Category & jurisdiction filters

Step 2: Use Keyword Search for Legal Concepts

Enter precise keywords to search for exact text:

  • "identification parade"
  • "delay in FIR"
  • "medical evidence"
  • "ocular testimony"

Step 3: Apply Category Filters

You can refine your results using more than 400 filters, examples include:

  • Criminal Law: 302 PPC, 489-F, Acquittal, Bail after Arrest
  • Family Law: Dower, Custody, Maintenance, Khula, DMMA, etc
  • Taxation & Finance: Income Tax, Sales Tax, NAB, Corruption

📌 Example: Select 302 PPC and Acquittal, then search for "identification parade".

Step 4: Use the Citation Search Tool

The simplest way to search by citation is to use the dedicated Citation Search Tool:

🔎 Open Citation Search Tool

On this page, you can:

  • Select the Journal (from dropdown)
  • Select the Court (from dropdown)
  • Enter the Page Number
  • Choose the Year

Our intelligent Python-powered backend will locate the relevant judgment for you automatically.

📌 Note: The Advanced Search section also includes a citation field, but it is limited to data between 1947–2015 only. Use the tool above for full coverage up to 2025.

Step 5: Judgment Page Citation Search (Manual Input)

When using the citation bar directly on legacy search, ensure the format is exact:

Correct citation formats:

  • PLD 2010 SC 123
  • PLJ 2010 SC 123
  • 2025 LHC 123
  • 2010 SCMR 123

❌ Avoid:

  • S.C.M.R, P.Cr.R.LJ, P.L.D
  • S C M R or P L D with extra spaces
  • Dashes, dots, or city abbreviations like lhr, sind, bal

✅ Instead, use: SCMR, PCrLJ, PLC CS (no dots, dashes or extra spaces)

📌 Note: Use full city names like Sindh, Lahore, Karachi — not abbreviations like Sind., Lhr, Khi.

How to Use the old Legacy Advanced Search on Pak Legal Database

Advanced Search allows you to serach keyword through entire judgment text and perform complex legal research using logical commands. You can combine keywords, phrases, and filters to get highly specific results.

📌 Real-Life Examples

  • fatal accident AND damages OR compensation
    → Finds cases mentioning fatal accidents and either damages or compensation.
  • service AND "de novo" AND inquiry OR termination
    → Finds service-related cases where "de novo" inquiries or termination are discussed.
  • custody NOT khula
    → Shows custody-related cases excluding those that involve khula.

✅ Supported Commands (must be in caps lock/capital)

1️⃣ AND

Returns results that include both terms.
Example: murder AND motive will return results where both "murder" and "motive" appear.

2️⃣ OR

Returns results that include either term.
Example: robbery OR theft will show judgments that mention either "robbery" or "theft".

3️⃣ NOT

Excludes results containing the second term.
Example: maintenance NOT dower finds cases discussing maintenance but not dower.

4️⃣ ( )

Group keywords and apply logic inside brackets.
Example: appeal AND (acquittal OR conviction) finds cases involving appeals with either outcome.

5️⃣ " "

Use double quotes for exact phrase search.
Example: "benefit of doubt" matches that precise phrase.

6️⃣ *

Wildcard to find all words starting with a root.
Example: constitut* matches "constitution", "constitutional", "constitutes", etc.

🗂️ Notes

  • Judgments are locked between 1955–2016
  • Use the Judgments Page for real-time judgments after 2016.
  • Total Cases: 225,000+
  • Jurisdictions: SC, GB, AJK, Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, and Tribunals and all high court of Pakistan.
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