Deep Research
Second Seat can perform comprehensive case law research — searching multiple databases, analyzing results, and writing a structured legal research memo — all from a single request in the chat.
How It Works
Ask for comprehensive research on a topic, and Second Seat will:
- Plan — break your query into 2-5 distinct search strategies (different legal theories, doctrines, or factual patterns)
- Search — run each strategy against CourtListener and other case law databases
- Analyze — read opinion text for each case and score relevance to your query
- Synthesize — write a structured research memo with verified citations
You don't need to select a mode or click anything special. Just ask:
- "Give me a comprehensive overview of warrantless car search law in NY"
- "Research the current state of Romero motions in California"
- "I need a full analysis of eyewitness identification challenges in the Second Circuit"
The Research Progress Panel
When deep research is triggered, you'll see a progress panel tracking each stage:
- Search Strategies — numbered list with checkmarks as each completes
- Cases Found — clickable links to each case, with court and year
- Status — current activity (e.g., "Searching (2/4)...", "Analyzing relevance of 10 cases...")
The panel auto-collapses when the memo starts streaming so you can focus on reading.
The Research Memo
The memo is streamed in real time and includes:
- Research Question — restating your query
- Summary of Findings — overview
- Relevant Case Law — detailed discussion of each case with holdings and relevance
- Legal Analysis — synthesis of how the cases answer your question
- Conclusion — key takeaways and caveats
Citation Verification
Citations in the research memo are automatically verified after the memo is complete. Each citation shows its verification status (verified, not found, etc.). Click verified citations to view the source.
See Understanding Citations for details.
When to Ask for Deep Research
| Deep Research | Just Ask Directly |
|---|---|
| "Research all case law on warrantless car searches" | "What is the standard for a Terry stop?" |
| "Find cases where ID was suppressed due to suggestive procedures" | "Explain CPL 30.30 speedy trial rules" |
| "Comprehensive analysis of Pitchess motion outcomes" | "Look up PEN § 187" |
Deep research is best for broad, fact-pattern-based research where you need a comprehensive memo with multiple cases. For quick questions, explanations, and statute lookups, just ask directly.
Tips
- Be descriptive — describe the factual scenario in detail rather than asking a general legal question
- Mention jurisdiction — Second Seat uses your default jurisdiction, but specify if you need a different state
- Allow time — deep research takes 1-3 minutes because it searches, reads, and analyzes multiple cases
- Verify citations — always check citations against original sources before relying on them
- Follow up — after the memo, ask follow-up questions about specific cases or theories in the same conversation