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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 Eloy Wijlhuizen

Do not rely on a citation or case that you cannot verify independently. Check the jurisdictions selected for the conversation, then repeat the research in a new chat.

Check the Jurisdictions for a New Chat

  1. Start a new chat.

  2. Select the jurisdictions relevant to your question in the composer. A checkmark shows each selected option.

    Composer menu showing selected jurisdictions and the default marker.

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

Jurisdictions from the Default sources setting in your profile are marked default. You can still change the selected jurisdictions for an individual conversation.

Default sources setting showing The Netherlands and the per-conversation note.

The available jurisdictions depend on your organisation.

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, do not assume that it is supported by legal sources.

  1. Start a new chat and check the selected jurisdictions.

  2. Repeat the question, identifying the legal issue, jurisdiction, and relevant date or period.

  3. If the new answer also has no citations, do not rely on it as a source-supported answer. Contact Support so the issue can be investigated.

Contact Support

If the citation still cannot be verified, or the new answer still has no citations, contact Support through the Zeno Messenger. Include:

  • your question;

  • the citation exactly as shown, if one was provided;

  • a screenshot of the answer;

  • the jurisdictions selected for the conversation; 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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