Legwork
Encyclopedia
Legwork, in law enforcement slang, is the work necessary to solve a case
. Legwork usually involves interviewing witness
es, investigating evidence
and following lead
s.
In detective
and mystery fiction
, legwork is an important structural component of the plot. It gives the author the opportunity to lay the evidence and clues before the reader in a format that is more interesting than the usual police dossier.
In business vernacular, legwork refers to the gathering, review and interpretation of the basic facts, figures and research necessary to achieve a goal.
Legal case
A legal case is a dispute between opposing parties resolved by a court, or by some equivalent legal process. A legal case may be either civil or criminal...
. Legwork usually involves interviewing witness
Witness
A witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about an event, or in the criminal justice systems usually a crime, through his or her senses and can help certify important considerations about the crime or event. A witness who has seen the event first hand is known as an eyewitness...
es, investigating evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
and following lead
Lead (disambiguation)
Lead has two different pronunciations and several different meanings, usually related to either the chemical element lead or the verb to lead.- When pronounced :With this pronunciation, "lead" refers to:...
s.
In detective
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
and mystery fiction
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
, legwork is an important structural component of the plot. It gives the author the opportunity to lay the evidence and clues before the reader in a format that is more interesting than the usual police dossier.
In business vernacular, legwork refers to the gathering, review and interpretation of the basic facts, figures and research necessary to achieve a goal.