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The entire US Code is now online in XML

uscodebeta.house.gov

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Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#3

Post by generj »

calpaterson wrote: post #2

For those of us who don't know anything about it, what are the uses of machine readable law?

Just from a Natural Language perspective, this is amazing. By using the code as as a corpus, we can see how differently legal language differs from day-to-day parlance. Such an analysis might be fascinating, especially if we compare to word frequency in Google Ngram's historical index. I suspect legal language trails several decades behind modern lingo.

Semi-intelligent queries can be executed, such that ignorance of the law might be abated. Imagine saying "Siri, is it illegal to do X?" and Siri answering you. This is important, because of the "Three Felonies a Day" syndrome with unwitting violations of the law. http://www.amazon.com/Three-Felonies-Day-Target-Innocent/dp/...

Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#6

Post by pnathan »

I'm really tempted to collect the XML files and put them on github, with periodic checkpoints to update it with the latest.

Watching the evolution of law over time is a fascinating thing and using SW engineering tools to help would be really fun.

Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#7

Post by liscovich »

tianhe wrote: post #4

XML? this should be in json!

As the schema guide explains, in 1999 they picked XML based on the study from 1996:

"Following a 1999 feasibility study on XML/SGML, the Committee on House Administration adopted XML as a data standard for the exchange of legislative documents" http://uscodebeta.house.gov/download/resources/USLM-User-Gui...

It took the US Govt 17 years to release 200,000 pages of the US code in XML.

Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#8

Post by tlrobinson »

pnathan wrote: post #6

I'm really tempted to collect the XML files and put them on github, with periodic checkpoints to update it with the latest. Watching the evolution of law over time is a fascinating thing and using SW engineering tools to help would be really fun.

I was under the impression law is essentially "append only". New laws override existing laws, but the text of the existing law never changes.

Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#9

Post by redblacktree »

pnathan wrote: post #6

I'm really tempted to collect the XML files and put them on github, with periodic checkpoints to update it with the latest. Watching the evolution of law over time is a fascinating thing and using SW engineering tools to help would be really fun.

Please do! This is the kind of thing that hatches in my mind as a great idea, but withers due to a total lack of follow-up.

Re: The entire US Code is now online in XML

#10

Post by wavefunction »

pnathan wrote: post #6

I'm really tempted to collect the XML files and put them on github, with periodic checkpoints to update it with the latest. Watching the evolution of law over time is a fascinating thing and using SW engineering tools to help would be really fun.

"Diffing the law" between different date points would be amazing. I hope you follow your temptation in this regard.

I'd do it myself but I'm already neck deep in work and volunteer projects outside of work.

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