Website evaluation criteria and methodology

Website Evaluation: Nolo.com
One of the biggest legal information clearinghouses online is the website Nolo.com. Based in the United States, and therefore mainly only applicable to that country, Nolo.com offers a wide range of informational articles and also links to law blogs. Additionally, Nolo.com promotes legal services with the ability for visitors to find a lawyer in their area. Nolo.com therefore combines educational, informational, and commercial services under one rubric. The confluence of information and commercial goals can be problematic, which is why it is important to thoroughly assess the credibility of this website.
The authority of the website can be determined by examining the “About Us” section, which also includes brief biographies of the Nolo staff and the editors of the website. In the “About Us” section, the organization also presents its mission as being directly related to helping ordinary individuals—and small businesses—to empower themselves with knowledge of “everyday legal and business questions,” (1). Therefore, the Nolo staff is not purporting to offer definitive advice but only to clarify quick and simple legal questions in language the average person can understand. The “About Us” section also talks about the history of the website, and how it was an amalgamation of other legal websites. Most importantly for establishing the authority of the website is the section on the authors who write the informational articles. The authors of the articles are mainly attorneys at law, claims Nolo, which does enhance the credibility of the information. After all, the authors do have a professional responsibility to present information that is clear and also authoritative. The website also includes a legal disclaimer, which covers issues like the editorial objectivity. In other words, the Nolo team does not endorse any one product or service but only offers information that the reader or consumer can use to make an informed decision.
The legal articles form the crux of the content on Nolo.com. These articles should be assessed for objectivity and accuracy, even though the authors have established their professional credentials. Each of the articles addresses a specific legal concern, from personal injury law to bankruptcy law. The information is generalized, preventing any person from taking specific action without first speaking with an actual attorney. There are hyperlinks to other articles within and outside of the Nolo website, but unfortunately, the authors are unable to provide sufficient links to actual case law. The reason for this omission is clear: when it comes to most civil and criminal law issues, jurisdiction matters. Each and every state, and in some cases even local municipalities, will have different legal guidelines, procedures, bylaws, and stipulations impacting a case. The reader is strongly advised to seek advice from a local attorney familiar with the laws of their state or jurisdiction, even though the information in the Nolo articles is a good starting point. Although mainly objective, one of the goals of the Nolo website is to promote legal services and so there are several pop-ups and advertisements urging the reader to find an attorney. Other than this, the information itself is objective and not phrased in an overly persuasive way. While it would be helpful for the authors to provide more substantial evidence backing up the information, the reader does have the ability to cross-reference the information with further searches.
Without an argumentative tone, there are no logical fallacies or faults in the way the information is presented. The language is informal, and some of the authors use anecdotes and hypotheticals to engage the reader. For example, an article about trademark infringement uses informal language and second person point of view to relate directly to the reader. Stim uses rhetorical questions and hypothetical scenarios to help the reader understand what usually constitutes a trademark infringement, and when to take legal action against a perceived infraction. As the author is unable to offer definitive advice due to jurisdictional issues, there are no faulty claims or conclusions. Instead, the author does mention a few states and their trademark laws to help the reader understand the situation. The author does use cause and effect scenarios, but offers multiple alternatives to help the reader understand the consequences of taking legal action or refraining from taking action—mentioning things like the cost of legal fees versus the expected earnings from a settlement. The articles throughout the Nolo website are similarly fair, unbiased, and designed to appeal to a wide target audience comprised of both people who have been sued by another party or persons who are seeking legal action in mainly tort cases. Unfortunately, many of the Nolo articles do not have a date of publication, but the fact that the law does change regularly in most areas would place the burden of responsibility on the Nolo editorial team to make sure that all information is kept up-to-date or risk the organization’s reputation and credibility.
Relying overly much on the credibility of the editorial team is not necessarily a problem in a legal information website like this one. The information is suitably generalized and accurate, avoiding the complex legal jargon that would otherwise turn off the ordinary reader. Pathos and emotional appeals are absent from the articles, which enhances the credibility of the website. In spite of the pop-up advertisements, the reader is not being emotionally persuaded to seek legal aid. At the same time, the articles do provide information that encourages readers to seek legal services when they are needed.
Legal services are an important part of a functioning democracy. Consumers need to be empowered with knowledge of their rights, understanding how to use the justice system in their favor. Therefore, websites like Nolo.com do provide a worthwhile service, and are not clouding their commercial intentions with unnecessary emotional appeals that would undermine the credibility of the website.








Works Cited
“About Us.” Nolo.com. https://www.nolo.com/about/about.html
Nolo.com. https://www.nolo.com/
Stim, Richard. “Trademark Infringement: Do You Need an Attorney?” https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/trademark-infringement-do-you-need-attorney.html