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# How to Write a Good Query

In legal practice, clarity is everything—and the same applies when working with AI.

In **Anycase.ai**, a **query** is the instruction or legal question you give the AI. The clearer and more specific your query is, the easier it is for Anycase to understand what you need and provide a focused, useful response.

Think of it like briefing a legal researcher: instead of simply asking them to *“research labor law,”* tell them the exact issue, law, situation, and output you need.
This guide will help you write better queries and get more out of Anycase.ai.
## **Why Your Queries Matter**
A broad question can lead to a broad answer.
For example:
❌ **Too broad:**
 “Explain employee termination.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Outline the twin-notice rule timeline under DOLE DO 147-15 for an employee accused of serious misconduct.”
The second query tells Anycase exactly **what legal issue to address, what authority to consider, and what situation applies**.

## **Principles of a Good Query**
### **1. Be Clear and Specific**
Avoid asking about an entire area of law when you only need one particular issue.
❌ **Okay:**
 “Explain criminal procedure.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Explain the rules on valid warrantless arrests under Rule 113, Sec. 5.”
Another example:
❌ **Okay:**
 “Explain corporation law.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Outline the steps to voluntarily dissolve a corporation under the RCC where no creditors are affected.”
Specific legal concepts help Anycase narrow the scope of the answer.

***
### **2. Add the Relevant Legal Context**
When possible, identify the governing law, rule, regulation, agency, or factual situation.
❌ **Okay:**
 “Can an employee be placed on floating status?”
✅ **Better:**
 “Can management validly place an employee on floating status for more than 6 months due to client pullout?”
Or:
❌ **Okay:**
 “Explain electronic money issuers.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Outline the BSP registration requirements for an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI).”
Adding context makes it clearer which legal framework Anycase should focus on.

***
### **3. Tell Anycase What Output You Want**
Use action words such as **Explain, Outline, Find, Compare, Digest,** or **Draft**.
Instead of:
❌ “Rule 45 and Rule 65.”
Try:
✅ “Differentiate a Rule 45 and a Rule 65 petition. Make a table.”
Instead of:
❌ “Secretary’s Certificate.”
Try:
✅ “Draft a Secretary’s Certificate authorizing the opening of a corporate bank account.”
The more clearly you define the output, the easier it is for Anycase to structure the response the way you need it.

***
### **4. Structure Complex Queries**
For more complicated legal questions, tell Anycase exactly what aspect you want it to focus on.
For example:
❌ **Okay:**
 “Republic v. Sereno.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Digest Republic v. Sereno (2018), focusing on the issue of quo warranto versus impeachment.”
Or:
❌ **Okay:**
 “People v. Romy Lim.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Digest People v. Romy Lim, focusing on the chain of custody rule under Sec. 21 of RA 9165.”
This is especially useful when a case involves several doctrines or issues but only one is relevant to your research.

***
### **5. Include Important Facts or Constraints**
Small factual details can materially change the legal analysis.
For example:
❌ **Too general:**
 “Can a Letter of Authority be issued?”
✅ **Better:**
 “Can the CIR validly issue a Letter of Authority (LOA) for unverified prior years?”
Or:
❌ **Too general:**
 “Can a husband be convicted of rape?”
✅ **Better:**
 “Can a husband be convicted of rape against his wife under RA 8353?”
When asking an issue-based question, include the facts that determine which legal rule applies.

***
### **6. Specify How You Want Information Compared**
If you are trying to distinguish similar legal concepts, explicitly ask Anycase to compare them.
For example:
✅ “Difference between a project employee and a seasonal employee under the Labor Code. Make a table.”
✅ “Difference between the secrecy of peso deposits under RA 1405 and foreign currency deposits under RA 6426. Make a table.”
✅ “Difference between malversation, technical malversation, and RA 3019 Sec. 3(e) for framing an Information. Make a table.”
A table can be especially useful when studying distinctions, elements, requirements, or remedies side by side.

***
### **7. Be Precise When Searching for Authorities**
When asking Anycase to find cases, laws, regulations, or issuances, describe exactly what you are looking for.
❌ **Okay:**
 “Find tax cases.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Find cases where the CTA annulled a tax assessment due to a void LOA.”
❌ **Okay:**
 “Find SEC rules.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Find the SEC issuances on beneficial ownership transparency guidelines.”
❌ **Okay:**
 “Find cases on electronic transfers.”
✅ **Better:**
 “Find cases applying the extraordinary diligence rule to unauthorized electronic funds transfers.”
This gives the search a specific legal doctrine or outcome to target.

***
### **8. Refine and Iterate**
Your first query does not have to contain everything.
Start with the main question, review the answer, then ask a more specific follow-up.
For example:
**First query:**
 “Explain the doctrine of piercing the corporate veil in cases of fraud.”
You can then follow up with:
“Give me Supreme Court cases applying this doctrine.”
Then:
“Compare the facts of those cases and explain why the corporate veil was or was not pierced.”
Think of the conversation as an ongoing research session rather than trying to fit every instruction into one query.

***
**Examples You Can Try in Anycase**
Depending on your area of practice, here are sample queries you can try in Anycase.ai.
### **If you’re a Litigation or Dispute Resolution Lawyer**
* “Explain the continuous trial system timeline under A.M. No. 15-06-10-SC for criminal cases.”
* “What is the doctrine of immutability of judgments and its exceptions?”
* “Differentiate a Rule 45 and a Rule 65 petition. Make a table.”
* “Digest Republic v. Sereno (2018), focusing on the issue of quo warranto versus impeachment.”
* “Draft a Motion to Quash Subpoena Duces Tecum under Rule 21.”
### **If you’re a Taxation or Customs Lawyer**
* “Outline the procedural timeline for protesting a BIR assessment from PAN to CTA appeal.”
* “Can the CIR validly issue a Letter of Authority (LOA) for unverified prior years?”
* “Difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion. Cite Supreme Court tests used.”
* “Find cases where the CTA annulled a tax assessment due to a void LOA.”
* “Draft a request for reconsideration of a Final Assessment Notice (FAN).”
### **If you’re a Labor and Employment Lawyer**
* “We have an employee accused of serious misconduct. Outline the twin-notice rule timeline under DOLE DO 147-15.”
* “Can management validly place an employee on floating status for more than 6 months due to client pullout?”
* “Difference between a project employee and a seasonal employee under the Labor Code. Make a table.”
* “Find recent cases on constructive dismissal involving the transfer of employees to provincial branches.”
* “Draft a Notice to Explain with preventive suspension for habitual tardiness and insubordination.”
### **If you’re a Corporate, Commercial, or M\&A Lawyer**
* “Outline the steps to voluntarily dissolve a corporation under the RCC where no creditors are affected.”
* “Explain the doctrine of piercing the corporate veil in cases of fraud.”
* “Difference between a merger and a consolidation under the RCC.”
* “Find the SEC issuances on beneficial ownership transparency guidelines.”
* “Draft a Secretary’s Certificate authorizing the opening of a corporate bank account.”
### **If you work on Contracts and Obligations**
* “Explain the prescriptive periods for filing actions on written contracts versus quasi-contracts.”
* “Explain the concept of reciprocal obligations.”
* “Explain the distinction between a contract of sale and a contract to sell.”
* “Find cases applying the principle of rebus sic stantibus under Article 1267 in commercial leases.”
* “Digest Pryce Corporation v. PAGCOR, elaborate on the breach of lease contract.”
### **If you’re a Government, Regulatory, or Civil Service Lawyer**
* “Explain the doctrine of exhaustion of administrative remedies and its exceptions.”
* “May the ban on midnight appointment halt the assumption to office of collegial court justices?”
* “Difference between the investigatory powers of the Ombudsman and the DOJ in graft cases.”
* “Find the IRR of RA 11930.”
* “Draft an Answer to a Formal Charge before the Civil Service Commission.”
### **If you’re a Banking, Finance, Securities, or Fintech Lawyer**
* “Outline the BSP registration requirements for an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI).”
* “Can a service provider be held strictly liable for phishing scams under the Electronic Commerce Act?”
* “Difference between the secrecy of peso deposits under RA 1405 and foreign currency deposits under RA 6426. Make a table.”
* “Find cases applying the extraordinary diligence rule to unauthorized electronic funds transfers.”
* “Draft a Promissory Note with an acceleration clause.”
### **If you’re a Criminal Law Practitioner**
* “Explain the rules on valid warrantless arrests under Rule 113, Sec. 5.”
* “Can a husband be convicted of rape against his wife under RA 8353?”
* “Difference between malversation, technical malversation, and RA 3019 Sec. 3(e) for framing an Information. Make a table.”
* “Digest People v. Romy Lim, focusing on the chain of custody rule under Sec. 21 of RA 9165.”
* “Draft a Complaint-Affidavit for Estafa under Article 315 2(a) of the RPC.”
This version also has a nice secondary benefit: each practice area demonstrates the range of things Anycase can do—**explain, analyze, compare, find cases or issuances, digest, and draft**—without organizing the guide around product capabilities.

## **Common Mistakes to Avoid**
❌ **Being too vague**
 “Explain taxation.”
✅ Instead:
 “Outline the procedural timeline for protesting a BIR assessment from PAN to CTA appeal.”
❌ **Leaving out the legal framework**
 “Explain warrantless arrests.”
✅ Instead:
 “Explain the rules on valid warrantless arrests under Rule 113, Sec. 5.”
❌ **Not telling Anycase what you want done**
 “Rule 45 vs. Rule 65.”
✅ Instead:
 “Differentiate a Rule 45 and a Rule 65 petition. Make a table.”
❌ **Searching too broadly**
 “Find cases on constructive dismissal.”
✅ Instead:
 “Find recent cases on constructive dismissal involving the transfer of employees to provincial branches.”
❌ **Trying to do everything at once**
 “Research this issue, summarize the cases, draft the pleading, and make arguments for me.”
✅ Instead:
 Break the task into stages: **research → analyze → outline → draft → revise.**

## **Key Takeaways**
1. **Be specific.** Identify the exact legal issue you want to research.
2. **Provide context.** Include the applicable law, rule, agency, situation, or relevant facts.
3. **Use clear action words.** Ask Anycase to **explain, outline, compare, find, digest,** or **draft**.
4. **Specify the output.** Ask for a table, digest, timeline, draft, or another useful format.
5. **Narrow your searches.** Include the doctrine, factual situation, court, law, or outcome you are looking for.
6. **Use follow-up queries.** Refine the answer instead of trying to put every task into a single prompt.

**A simple formula to remember:**
**Action + Legal Issue + Context + Desired Output**

For example:
**Differentiate** Rule 45 and Rule 65 petitions **under Philippine procedural law** and **present the differences in a table**.
Or:
**Find cases** involving **constructive dismissal** where the employee was **transferred to a provincial branch**.
The clearer your instruction, the easier it is for Anycase.ai to help you move from a legal question to a useful research or drafting output.

*Note: You can click on* ***Enhance query*** *in the chat box to help refine your query:*

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/0/9/f/a09fd8e0af099000/image_vzf70s.png)