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What Should I Do if a Citation or Case Cannot Be Verified?

Retry the research with the correct sources, verify the authority independently, and avoid relying on a citation that cannot be confirmed.

Written by Natali Petras

Do not rely on a citation or case that you cannot verify independently. Check that Legal Research is using the right jurisdiction and sources, then repeat the research in a new chat.

Check Legal Research

  1. Start a new chat.

  2. Turn on Legal Research.

  3. Select the jurisdiction and sources relevant to your question.

  4. Ask a focused question that identifies the legal issue, jurisdiction, and relevant date or period.

Verify the Source

Open the cited source and compare its identifying details with the reference in Zeno. Depending on the source, this may include:

  • the court or issuing authority;

  • the date;

  • the case number, ECLI, publication number, or other identifier;

  • the title or parties; and

  • the passage that supports the answer.

Check the source against the relevant official publication or legal database available to you. A complete-looking citation is not a substitute for reviewing the underlying authority.

If you cannot locate or confirm the source, treat it as unverified and do not rely on it in your work.

If Citations Are Missing Entirely

If the answer contains no citations, follow Why Am I Not Seeing Any Citations in My Answer?.

Contact Support

If the citation still cannot be verified, contact Support through the Zeno Messenger. Include:

  • the citation exactly as shown;

  • a screenshot of the answer;

  • the jurisdiction and sources selected in Legal Research; and

  • whether the issue occurs in one chat or in a new chat as well.

Share only the information needed to investigate the citation.

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