By | Quick Answer Casetext is an AI powered legal research platform built around CoCounsel, a legal assistant that reads, summarizes, and drafts using natural language prompts instead of traditional keyword search. It combines a full case law and statute database with AI tools for document review, deposition prep, and contract analysis. Casetext works well for solo practitioners and small to midsize firms that want research speed without a full Westlaw or Lexis budget, though larger firms with complex multi jurisdictional needs may still want a traditional platform alongside it. Pricing is not published publicly and requires a custom quote from the Casetext sales team. |
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What Is Casetext?
Casetext launched as a legal research database and has since repositioned itself around CoCounsel, its generative AI legal assistant. Instead of typing Boolean search strings, attorneys can ask Casetext plain language questions like “find cases where a landlord was held liable for mold exposure in a residential lease” and get relevant case summaries with citations pulled back in seconds.
Thomson Reuters acquired Casetext in 2023, which folded the platform’s research database and AI tools into the broader Westlaw ecosystem while keeping Casetext as a distinct, lower cost product line. That acquisition matters for buyers because it signals long term investment and integration rather than a startup tool that might disappear.
Key Features
CoCounsel AI Assistant: the core of the platform. CoCounsel can review documents, answer legal research questions, summarize depositions, and draft correspondence, all from a conversational prompt rather than a search bar.
Case Law and Statute Database: Casetext still functions as a traditional research tool underneath the AI layer, covering federal and state case law, statutes, regulations, and secondary sources.
Document Review Automation: attorneys can upload contracts or discovery documents and have CoCounsel flag risk clauses, inconsistencies, or missing provisions far faster than manual review.
Parallel Search: Casetext’s search technology finds conceptually related cases even when the exact keywords do not match, which is useful when a fact pattern is unusual.
Brief Analysis: the platform can review a filed brief against the underlying case law and flag arguments that may be weak or unsupported.
Casetext Pricing
Casetext does not list flat public pricing on its site. Cost depends on firm size, the specific CoCounsel modules a firm needs, and whether the firm already has a Thomson Reuters or Westlaw relationship. Solo and small firm plans have historically started in the range most small practices can absorb without a major budget shift, while larger deployments are quoted individually. The only reliable way to get a firm number is to request a quote directly, since bundled pricing changes based on user seats and add on modules.
Casetext vs Westlaw and Lexis
Casetext is generally positioned as the faster, lower cost alternative to Westlaw and Lexis for firms that do not need every specialty database those platforms offer. Westlaw and Lexis still carry deeper secondary source libraries, more jurisdiction specific practice guides, and decades of established citator tools like KeyCite and Shepard’s. Casetext’s advantage is speed and the CoCounsel AI layer, which most solo and small firm users find more intuitive day to day than traditional Boolean research.
Firms handling high volume litigation across many jurisdictions, or that rely heavily on specialty treatises, often keep Westlaw or Lexis as a primary tool and add Casetext for the AI drafting and document review workflow rather than replacing their existing subscription outright.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Natural language search removes the learning curve of Boolean queries
- CoCounsel handles document review and drafting tasks that used to require paralegal hours
- Backed by Thomson Reuters, reducing the risk of the product being discontinued
- Generally lower cost than a full Westlaw or Lexis subscription
- Strong fit for solo attorneys and small firms watching overhead
Cons
- Pricing is not transparent and requires a sales conversation
- Smaller secondary source library than Westlaw or Lexis
- AI outputs still require attorney verification before filing, as with any generative legal tool
- Fewer jurisdiction specific practice materials for niche practice areas
Who Casetext Is Best For
Casetext fits solo practitioners, small firms, and midsize litigation teams that want to cut research time without paying for a full enterprise research suite. It is a strong fit for firms already comfortable using AI tools in other parts of their practice and for attorneys who spend significant time on document heavy work like discovery review or deposition prep.
Larger firms with dedicated research departments, or attorneys in highly specialized practice areas that depend on deep secondary source libraries, may still need Westlaw or Lexis as their primary system, with Casetext layered in for the AI assisted workflows.
How to Get Started With Casetext
- Request a demo or quote from the Casetext sales team, since pricing is not published publicly.
- Identify which CoCounsel modules your firm needs, such as document review, deposition summaries, or drafting assistance, so the quote reflects actual usage rather than every add on.
- Run a trial case through the platform using a real research question from a recent matter to test how the AI assistant performs against your usual workflow.
- Compare the output against your existing tool, whether that is Westlaw, Lexis, or Google Scholar, to confirm the time savings justify the cost for your practice.
- Train staff on prompt structure, since getting useful answers from CoCounsel depends on asking clear, specific questions rather than short keyword fragments.
| Legal Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Pricing, features, and product details for Casetext are subject to change; readers should verify current information directly with the provider before making a purchasing decision. The Legal Briefs does not have a business relationship with Casetext and receives no compensation from this content. |
2026 Update
Casetext continues to operate as a distinct product line under Thomson Reuters, with CoCounsel expanding into more practice areas since the original acquisition. Firms evaluating legal AI tools in 2026 should expect continued feature updates and should confirm current pricing directly, since AI legal research tools in this category have moved quickly over the past two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Casetext free to use?
Casetext is not free. It operates on a paid subscription model with custom pricing based on firm size and the CoCounsel modules selected. Some new users may be offered a trial period or demo before committing. Firms should request a direct quote to understand actual cost.
What is CoCounsel and how is it different from regular Casetext search?
CoCounsel is the AI assistant layer built on top of Casetext’s traditional case law database. Instead of running keyword searches, users ask CoCounsel questions in plain language and it returns summarized answers with supporting citations. It also handles document review, drafting, and deposition summary tasks that go beyond simple case lookup.
Can Casetext replace Westlaw or Lexis entirely?
For many solo and small firm attorneys, Casetext can serve as the primary research tool. Larger firms or those in specialized practice areas often keep Westlaw or Lexis for deeper secondary sources and add Casetext specifically for its AI document review and drafting capabilities.
Is Casetext accurate, or does it hallucinate like other AI tools?
Casetext’s CoCounsel is built to cite real case law rather than generate unsupported text, and Thomson Reuters has invested heavily in accuracy given the legal liability involved. That said, attorneys are still expected to verify every citation and holding before relying on it in a filing, the same standard that applies to any AI legal research tool.
