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.

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 the stated-rule interpretation.

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 and does not answer the legal question.parsematchcheckyesnoUser questionrole start r0 in0 out1 reach5Normalize tokensrole step r1 in1 out1 reach4Retrieve recordsrole step r2 in1 out1 reach3Cited supportrole decision r3 in1 out2 reach2Abstainrole terminal r4 in1 out0 reach0Human reviewrole terminal r4 in1 out0 reach0SCC: 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}