Legal AI is a black box — users don't know what sources were used, how conclusions were reached, or how confident the AI is. This destroys trust and creates liability. When a judge asks "how did you arrive at this recommendation?" and the answer is "the AI said so," that's not good enough.
A transparency layer that displays sources used, reasoning steps, confidence levels, and a "Why this answer?" interface. Makes AI explainable, auditable, and trustworthy for legal use. Every claim is traced to a source, every step is logged, and every conclusion comes with a confidence score.
flowchart LR
A[AI Query] --> B[Reasoning Tracer<br/>Step Logger + Source Tracker +<br/>Decision Tree Builder]
B --> C[Confidence Calculator<br/>Per-Step + Aggregate +<br/>Uncertainty Flags]
C --> D[Explanation Generator<br/>Natural Language + Visual Tree +<br/>Source Citations]
D --> E["'Why This Answer?'<br/>Interface"]
E --> F[Audit Trail]
- Judges evaluating AI-assisted filings — verify the reasoning behind AI-generated arguments
- Attorneys verifying AI research — trace every claim back to primary sources
- Legal aid quality assurance — ensure AI recommendations meet professional standards
- Policymakers setting AI standards — reference implementation for transparency requirements
- Users needing to trust AI output — understand why the AI recommended a specific action
- Step-by-step reasoning trace — every inference logged with source and method
- Source attribution for every claim — no unsourced statements allowed
- Confidence scores per reasoning step — know where the AI is certain and where it guesses
- "Why this answer?" natural language explanations — one-click explanations for any conclusion
- Visual decision tree — see the full reasoning path as an interactive diagram
- Comparison of alternative conclusions — understand what other answers were considered
- Complete audit trail for compliance — immutable record of every AI decision
npm install @justice-os/reasoning-engineimport {
ReasoningTracer,
ConfidenceCalculator,
ExplanationGenerator,
AuditTrail
} from '@justice-os/reasoning-engine';
// 1. Trace an AI reasoning process
const tracer = new ReasoningTracer();
const trace = tracer.startTrace('custody-recommendation');
tracer.addStep(trace.id, {
description: 'Identify relevant custody factors',
sources: [
{ id: 'statute_1', title: 'Family Code Section 3011', type: 'statute' },
{ id: 'case_1', title: 'In re Marriage of Brown', type: 'case_law' }
],
method: 'source_analysis',
result: 'Identified 5 statutory factors for custody determination'
});
tracer.addStep(trace.id, {
description: 'Analyze parenting time allocation',
sources: [
{ id: 'study_1', title: 'Joint Custody Outcomes Study 2024', type: 'research' }
],
method: 'comparative_analysis',
result: 'Research supports graduated parenting time approach'
});
// 2. Calculate confidence
const confidence = new ConfidenceCalculator();
const scores = confidence.calculate(trace);
console.log(`Overall confidence: ${scores.aggregate}%`);
console.log(`Uncertain areas: ${scores.uncertainAreas.join(', ')}`);
// 3. Generate explanation
const explainer = new ExplanationGenerator();
const explanation = explainer.explain(trace, scores);
console.log(explanation.summary);
// → "Based on Family Code Section 3011 and recent research on custody outcomes,
// a graduated parenting time approach is recommended (confidence: 82%)."
// 4. Record audit trail
const audit = new AuditTrail();
audit.record(trace, scores, explanation);| Phase | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Core reasoning tracer with step logging | In Progress |
| 2 | Source tracking and attribution engine | Planned |
| 3 | Confidence calculator with uncertainty flags | Planned |
| 4 | Natural language explanation generator | Planned |
| 5 | Visual decision tree component | Planned |
| 6 | Alternative conclusion comparison | Future |
| 7 | Immutable audit trail with compliance reports | Future |
This repository is part of the Justice OS open-source ecosystem — 32 interconnected projects building the infrastructure for accessible justice technology.
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-os | Core modular platform — the foundation |
| justice-api-gateway | Interoperability layer for courts |
| legal-identity-layer | Universal legal identity and auth |
| case-continuity-engine | Never lose case history across systems |
| offline-justice-sync | Works without internet — local-first sync |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-navigator | Google Maps for legal problems |
| mobile-court-access | Mobile-first court access kit |
| cognitive-load-ui | Design system for stressed users |
| multilingual-justice | Real-time legal translation |
| voice-legal-interface | Justice without reading or typing |
| legal-plain-language | Turn legalese into human language |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| vetted-legal-ai | RAG engine with citation validation |
| justice-knowledge-graph | Open data layer for laws and procedures |
| legal-ai-guardrails | AI safety SDK for justice use |
| emotional-intelligence-ai | Reduce conflict, improve outcomes |
| ai-reasoning-engine | Show your work for AI decisions |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| evidence-vault | Privacy-first secure evidence storage |
| court-notification-engine | Smart deadline and hearing alerts |
| justice-analytics | Bias detection and disparity dashboards |
| evidence-timeline | Evidence timeline builder |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| court-doc-engine | TurboTax for legal filings |
| justice-workflow-engine | Zapier for legal processes |
| pro-se-toolkit | Self-represented litigant tools |
| justice-score-engine | Access-to-justice measurement |
| justice-app-generator | No-code builder for justice tools |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-persona-simulator | Test products against real human realities |
| justice-experiment-lab | A/B testing for justice outcomes |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| digital-literacy-sim | Digital literacy simulator |
| legal-resource-discovery | Find the right help instantly |
| court-simulation-sandbox | Practice before the real thing |
| justice-components | Reusable component library |
| justice-dev-starter-kit | Ultimate boilerplate for justice tech builders |
Built with purpose. Open by design. Justice for all.
This project is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, legal representation, or an attorney-client relationship. No warranty is made regarding accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular legal matter. Always consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making legal decisions. Use of this software does not create any professional-client relationship.
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