Citation Graph - Legal Sources as Data Step by Step

A citation graph derives degree and reachability from directed edges. Honesty note: jurisdiction US; the pinned first step states the as-of date; not legal advice; code encodes the stated-rule interpretation.

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.

highlighted = computed this step

Render honesty note

Honesty note: jurisdiction US; as of 2026-06-24; not legal advice; code encodes the stated-rule interpretation for this lesson.

\text{US as of }2026-06-24

A citation graph starts with nodes

The toy graph has source nodes for an FRCP rule, a statute section, and a worked hypo. The compiled graph has 3 nodes.

\text{nodes}=3

Edges supply the example data

The authored data supplies 3 directed edges: hypo to rule, hypo to statute, and rule to statute.

\text{edges}=3

Degree and reachability are recomputed

For the worked hypo, degree is 2 and the reachable-node count is 2. Both values are recomputed from edges, not authored as sidecars.

\text{degree}=2,\quad \text{reach}=2

Diagram note

The graph is a neighborhood metric only. It makes no authority-weight claim.

\text{graph metrics only}

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.