Foundational pillar / check prior-results-disclaimer
Prior-results disclaimer next to case results
When a page shows verdicts, settlements, or case results, checks for wording that past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
By Shimon Carroll, Founder, SEO for AI Agents · Last updated
What this check measures
Dollar amounts tied to settlements, verdicts, recoveries, or awards, and phrases such as "case results". When those appear we look for "prior results", "past results do not guarantee", or "every case is different".
Why it matters
ABA Model Rule 7.1 treats communications that create unjustified expectations about results as misleading, and many states require a specific results disclaimer near case outcomes. The exact wording is state law, so this check prompts a review rather than approving any one sentence.
How we score it
A review prompt, not a legal verdict. Runs only on law firm audits. When the cue is missing the finding is low severity at medium confidence, which lowers the foundational pillar by about 0.6 points. A pass is informational and never scores. Pages without case results are not evaluated. In that case the finding is marked not measured: it does not score and does not count toward coverage. Each finding names who should review it, quotes what we saw on the page, and cites the primary source. Where the page shows a US address we name the inferred state; otherwise the wording is state-agnostic.
Confidence-flag rules
MEDIUM: the check reads the visible page text, links, and JSON-LD directly, so what it quotes is exact, but wording can carry the same meaning in phrasing we do not recognise, and one page does not show the whole site.
Common mistakes
- A results carousel on the homepage with the disclaimer only on the results page.
- Quoting gross settlement amounts without context.
- Using a generic disclaimer when the state prescribes specific language.
How to fix it
Place a short disclaimer beside every block of case results stating that past results do not guarantee a similar outcome and that each matter depends on its facts. Confirm whether your state prescribes the wording.
Primary sources
- ABA Model Rule 7.1, Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services
American Bar Association
- ABA Model Rule 7.2, Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services: Specific Rules
American Bar Association
Changelog
- · New. This rule used to live only in the vertical configuration and never ran. It is now a registered review check with a cited primary source, framed as a prompt to review with a professional rather than a pass or fail legal verdict.