Retrieval Models

RAG Handoff Map

A retrieval pipeline routes cited support to human review and unsupported output to refusal. Honesty note: simplified toy corpus; jurisdictions vary; the pinned first step states the as-of date; not legal advice; retrieval points to sources and does not answer the legal question.

Structured Visual

Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-06-24; not legal advice; Code encodes a stated structural model, not the law itself. RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF.

RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.

RAG handoff mapRAG handoff mapscope: US classroom model | Retrieval handoff model | as of 2026-06-24Simplified toy corpus; jurisdictions vary; not legal advice; retrieval points to sources anddoes not answer the legal question.User questionNormalize tokensRetrieve recordsCited supportAbstainHuman reviewedge=question->tokens label=parseedge=tokens->retrieve label=matchedge=retrieve->cites label=checkedge=cites->review label=yesedge=cites->abstain label=noSCC: scc5:question; scc4:tokens; scc3:retrieve; scc2:cites; scc0:abstain; scc1:review
highlighted = computed this step

Retrieval honesty note

Honesty note: simplified toy corpus; jurisdictions vary; as of June 24, 2026; not legal advice; retrieval points to sources and does not answer the legal question.

toy corpus as of June24,2026\text{toy corpus as of }June 24, 2026

Map the retrieval handoff

The final process makes the control path explicit: parse the question, normalize tokens, retrieve records, check cited support, then route to review or abstain.

question→citation check→handoff\text{question}\to\text{citation check}\to\text{handoff}

Example pipeline shape

This toy pipeline has 6 nodes and 5 directed edges.

nodes=6,edges=5\text{nodes}=6,\quad \text{edges}=5

The citation-support branch governs the route

The map has 1 citation-support decision. A yes branch routes to human review; a no branch routes to abstain.

decisions=1\text{decisions}=1

Diagram note

The diagram is a workflow map. It shows routing discipline, not a legal answer or a source ranking.

terminal paths=review or abstain\text{terminal paths}=\text{review or abstain}

Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-06-24; not legal advice; Code encodes a stated structural model, not the law itself. RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF.

RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.

RAG handoff mapRAG handoff mapscope: US classroom model | Retrieval handoff model | as of 2026-06-24Simplified toy corpus; jurisdictions vary; not legal advice; retrieval points to sources anddoes not answer the legal question.User questionNormalize tokensRetrieve recordsCited supportAbstainHuman reviewedge=question->tokens label=parseedge=tokens->retrieve label=matchedge=retrieve->cites label=checkedge=cites->review label=yesedge=cites->abstain label=noSCC: scc5:question; scc4:tokens; scc3:retrieve; scc2:cites; scc0:abstain; scc1:review

Summary

A source-bound RAG design needs an explicit handoff point whenever citation support is missing or legal review is needed.

retrieval ends at review discipline\text{retrieval ends at review discipline}