In defence of rule‐based representations for legal knowledge‐based systems

Abstract Recently the use of rule‐based representations in legal knowledge‐based system has been criticised. Some authors even suggest that the received wisdom is that such representations are inadequate. In this paper I discuss these criticisms, and contend that they are not fatal to the use of rule‐based representations. Although there are limitations to what such representations can do, they none the less remain as important technique capable of forming the basis of useful tools.