Resources - Extended arm of the law. Context's Justis.com has just had a major makeover, and beneath its refreshing new design, Eira Hayward found a great deal of easy-to-use legal information.

Independent UK publisher Context has released an updated version of its Justis.com online legal database, incorporating various additional features designed to enhance its appeal. The update is the first big overhaul to the product in the six years since it was first released, and is the first of a number of changes Context has planned for the next 18 months.

Justis.com is aimed at all types of legal firm, from sole practitioners to large firms and barristers chambers. Pricing, which remains unchanged, is structured so that customers can pick-and-pay for a 12-month licence for just the sections required.

The first page of the database is refreshingly uncluttered, perhaps even a little too light on initial information for some users. In the centre of the screen there is a choice of five types of UK and Irish data sources to search: case law; European law; statute; human rights; and press releases. Users can subscribe to any, or all, of these.

Across the top of the homepage are a number of buttons, including search, results, document trail and a yellow circular link that allows the user to flip in and out of Context's JustCite companion citation service.

So far, so straightforward, but how well does it perform? Click on the plus symbol next to your choice of data source and it expands to show you what you can search. For example, case law allows you to search through all cases reported in the ICLR law reports, weekly law reports, industrial cases reports, as well as in The Times law reports and in Jordan's family law reports.

You can then search by almost any reference you choose, using free text, or by judge, catchword, citation, year, parties, or court. Searching all English case law in 2004 for the words "murder" and "knife" brought up 12 cases, with the case reference, parties involved and catchwords.

Choose a case to examine and you are taken to the case report with your search terms highlighted in red and hyperlinks shown in blue. Essential details, such as court, parties involved, catchwords, judge and date, facts, cases cited, and judgement are all displayed in a menu on the ...