Network Analysis of Case Law

Network analysis of case law applies graph-theoretic and network science methods to study the structure and dynamics of legal precedent systems. Developed systematically by James Fowler and colleagues in 2011, this method treats legal citations as directed edges in a network where nodes represent court decisions and edges represent precedent relationships. By analyzing the topology of these networks, researchers uncover patterns in how law evolves, which precedents are most influential, and how legal doctrine spreads across jurisdictions.