Before citing a case in a filing or legal argument, confirm it remains valid authority. Clio Library provides citation analysis tools and color-coded treatment indicators so you can assess a case's current standing quickly, without leaving your research workflow.
Important: Citation verification is a professional responsibility, not a discretionary step. Relying on overturned or negatively treated authority in a filing exposes your client to adverse outcomes and your firm to professional liability. Run citator checks on every case you intend to cite before submission.
View case analysis
When you open a case in Clio Library, the Document tab displays a Case Analysis block at the top of the page, powered by Vincent AI. Use this block to determine quickly whether a case is relevant to your matter before reading the full judgment.
- Legal issue: The central legal question the court addressed.
- Headnote: A summary of the legal principles covered, organized by topic.
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Key Paragraphs: The most significant passages in the judgment.
Tip: Toggle Highlight Key Paragraphs to mark them in the full text.
- Key Phrases: A condensed list of the core legal concepts in the case.
Identify citation volume
Depending on your jurisdiction, Clio Library uses different visual indicators to summarize a case's citation history.
- Grey tag: In most jurisdictions, a grey tag with a number appears to the right of the document name in search results, indicating the total number of citations to the document.
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Three-number system: In some jurisdictions, including Canada, the UK, and Ireland, cases display three numbers in the top-right corner of the document:
- Grey: Total citations.
- Green: Positive treatments.
- Red: Negative treatments.
- Negative treatment indicator: If a case has received negative treatment, a red pill labeled Negative treatment appears next to the case title at the top of the document viewer.
Interpret treatment types
Treatment types indicate how a subsequent document referred to the case you are viewing. Use these color codes to assess a case's current standing.
| Treatment | Color | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Green | A subsequent case actively followed the reasoning. The legal principle has been upheld or successfully followed. |
| Neutral | Grey | A subsequent case referenced this case without assigning explicit value. The authority was neither affirmed nor questioned. |
| Caution | Yellow | A subsequent case declined to apply this case because the facts were materially different. The case remains good law in its own context. |
| Cited for Contrast | Orange | A subsequent case referenced this case to distinguish it from the matter at hand. |
| Negative | Red | A subsequent case declined to apply this case because it is no longer considered good law. Proceed with caution or seek alternative authority. |
Access citator data
You can reach citator data from two starting points.
- From a research conversation: In Clio Work, ask a research question, then click any document name listed under Legal Authorities to open it in Clio Library.
- From a library search: Click Library in the left navigation panel, search for the case, and select it from your results.
Once the document is open, select a tab to view specific citator data.
- Document: Full judgment text with Case Analysis block.
- Cited Authorities: Case law and legislation cited within the judgment, with a Strength bar indicating the significance of each authority.
- Cited in: All documents that have cited this case as precedent, filterable by content type and jurisdiction.
- Precedent Map: An interactive visualization of the case's citation history over time.
Up Next
- To explore case citation history visually and assess how its authority has evolved over time, see Review Precedent Maps and Citation History.