LawPal : A Retrieval Augmented Generation Based System for Enhanced Legal Accessibility in India

TL;DR

This paper introduces LawPal, a retrieval-augmented generation system utilizing vector search for providing accurate, efficient, and comprehensive legal information in India, aiming to improve legal literacy and accessibility.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel RAG-based legal chatbot with a specialized dataset and FAISS vector search, enhancing legal information retrieval and understanding in India.

Findings

Improved retrieval speed and accuracy in legal queries.

Effective handling of ambiguous or complex legal questions.

Enhanced legal accessibility and literacy through the chatbot.

Abstract

Access to legal knowledge in India is often hindered by a lack of awareness, misinformation and limited accessibility to judicial resources. Many individuals struggle to navigate complex legal frameworks, leading to the frequent misuse of laws and inadequate legal protection. To address these issues, we propose a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)-based legal chatbot powered by vectorstore oriented FAISS for efficient and accurate legal information retrieval. Unlike traditional chatbots, our model is trained using an extensive dataset comprising legal books, official documentation and the Indian Constitution, ensuring accurate responses to even the most complex or misleading legal queries. The chatbot leverages FAISS for rapid vector-based search, significantly improving retrieval speed and accuracy. It is also prompt-engineered to handle twisted or ambiguous legal questions, reducing the chances of incorrect interpretations. Apart from its core functionality of answering legal queries, the platform includes additional features such as real-time legal news updates, legal blogs, and access to law-related books, making it a comprehensive resource for users. By integrating advanced AI techniques with an optimized retrieval system, our chatbot aims to democratize legal knowledge, enhance legal literacy, and prevent the spread of misinformation. The study demonstrates that our approach effectively improves legal accessibility while maintaining high accuracy and efficiency, thereby contributing to a more informed and empowered society.