Cross-lingual legal information retrieval using a WordNet architecture

The LOIS project encompasses the construction of a large, multilingual WordNet for cross-lingual information retrieval in the legal domain. In this article, we set out how a hybrid approach, featuring lexically and legally grounded conceptual representations, can fit the cross-lingual information retrieval needs of both legal professionals and laymen. With respect to the legally grounded part of this WordNet, we focus on the automatic extraction of legal definitions from European directives.