app/Http/Controllers/api/BylawApiController.php

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class BylawApiController extends Controller
             'category_id'           => 'nullable|exists:bylaw_subject_categories,id',
             'approval_authority_id' => 'nullable|exists:bylaw_legal_authorities,id',
             'bylaw_type'            => 'nullable|in:executive,delegated,independent',
+            'sort_by'               => 'nullable|in:date,number',
             'sort'                  => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page'              => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
@@ -63,8 +64,15 @@ class BylawApiController extends Controller
             $query->where('bylaw_type', $request->bylaw_type);
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
         $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
-        $query->orderBy('approval_date', $sortOrder);
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'promulgation_number' : 'approval_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
 
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
         $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
@@ -88,6 +96,8 @@ class BylawApiController extends Controller
     {
         $request->validate([
             'search'   => 'nullable|string',
+            'sort_by'  => 'nullable|in:date,number',
+            'sort'     => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page' => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
 
@@ -105,8 +115,18 @@ class BylawApiController extends Controller
             });
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
+        $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'promulgation_number' : 'approval_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
+
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
-        $paginator = $query->orderBy('approval_date', 'desc')->paginate($perPage);
+        $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
 
         $items = collect($paginator->items())->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatBylaw($item);
@@ -140,7 +160,6 @@ class BylawApiController extends Controller
         }
 
         $count = $query->count();
-        // Limit to 5 results for fast search dropdown
         $items = $query->orderBy('approval_date', 'desc')->take(5)->get()->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatBylaw($item);
         });

app/Http/Controllers/api/GlobalSearchApiController.php

@@ -25,12 +25,14 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
     use BaseApiResponse;
 
     /**
-     * Massive Search across ALL data types
+     * Massive Search across ALL data types (With dynamic Date/Number Sorting)
      */
     public function search(Request $request)
     {
         $request->validate([
             'search'   => 'nullable|string',
+            'sort_by'  => 'nullable|in:date,number',
+            'sort'     => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page' => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
             'page'     => 'nullable|integer|min:1',
         ]);
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
                 });
             $results = $results->merge($opinions);
 
-            // 4. Search Arts (Explicitly separated for eager loading & performance)
+            // 4. Search Arts
             $arts = Art::with(['law.category'])
                 ->where('title', 'LIKE', "%{$searchTerm}%")
                 ->orWhere('text', 'LIKE', "%{$searchTerm}%")
@@ -121,12 +123,41 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
             }
         }
 
-        // --- Execute Manual Pagination on the Combined Collection ---
+        // --- Apply Dynamic Memory Sorting ---
+        if ($request->has('sort_by')) {
+            $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by');
+            $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
+
+            if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+                $sortCallback = function ($item) {
+                    // Extract whatever number property this specific item uses
+                    return (string) ($item['promulgation_number'] ?? $item['ruling_number'] ?? $item['opinion_number'] ?? $item['number'] ?? '');
+                };
+
+                // Use Natural Sorting so "2" comes before "10"
+                if ($sortOrder === 'asc') {
+                    $results = $results->sortBy($sortCallback, SORT_NATURAL)->values();
+                } else {
+                    $results = $results->sortByDesc($sortCallback, SORT_NATURAL)->values();
+                }
+            } elseif ($sortBy === 'date') {
+                $sortCallback = function ($item) {
+                    // Extract whatever date property this specific item uses (Note: Structural models will default to '' and group together)
+                    return (string) ($item['approval_date'] ?? $item['ruling_date'] ?? $item['opinion_date'] ?? '');
+                };
+
+                if ($sortOrder === 'asc') {
+                    $results = $results->sortBy($sortCallback)->values();
+                } else {
+                    $results = $results->sortByDesc($sortCallback)->values();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // --- Execute Manual Pagination on the Sorted Collection ---
         $total = $results->count();
-        // Slice the array for the exact page requested
         $paginatedItems = $results->forPage($page, $perPage)->values();
 
-        // Build a proper Laravel paginator object so the response metadata remains identical
         $paginator = new LengthAwarePaginator(
             $paginatedItems,
             $total,
@@ -236,7 +267,6 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
 
                 $totalCount += $query->count();
 
-                // Only append items if we haven't reached ~15 fast search items yet
                 if ($results->count() < 15) {
                     $items = $query->take($limitPerTable)->get()->map(function($item) use ($modelClass, $table) {
                         $formatted = $this->formatStructure($item, $modelClass);
@@ -249,7 +279,6 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
         }
 
         return $this->success([
-            // Return top 15 matches max for dropdown
             'items' => $results->take(15)->values(),
             'count' => $totalCount
         ], 'Success', 'Global Fast Search Results');
@@ -314,7 +343,6 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
 
     private function formatArt($item, $searchTerm, $modelClass)
     {
-        // Use eager loaded relation if available to prevent N+1 queries, otherwise fallback to find
         $law = $item->law ?? Law::find($item->law_id);
         $isLocked = ! auth()->user()->isSubscriber() && (bool) $law?->is_locked;
 
@@ -329,6 +357,7 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
         return [
             'id'          => $item->id,
             'title'       => $item->title,
+            'number'      => $item->number, // Added for sorting capability
             'text'        => $isLocked ? null : $context,
             'is_locked'   => $isLocked,
             'route'       => array_values($this->route($modelClass, $item)),
@@ -349,7 +378,7 @@ class GlobalSearchApiController extends Controller
         $payload = [
             'id'        => $item->id,
             'title'     => $item->title,
-            'number'    => $item->number,
+            'number'    => $item->number, // Available for sorting capability
             'is_locked' => $isLocked,
             'route'     => array_values($this->route($modelClass, $item)),
             'law'       => $law?->title ?? '',

app/Http/Controllers/api/JudicialPrecedentApiController.php

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class JudicialPrecedentApiController extends Controller
     {
         $request->validate([
             'category_id' => 'nullable|exists:judicial_precedent_categories,id',
+            'sort_by'     => 'nullable|in:date,number',
             'sort'        => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page'    => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
@@ -38,8 +39,16 @@ class JudicialPrecedentApiController extends Controller
             $query->where('category_id', $request->category_id);
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
         $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
-        $query->orderBy('ruling_date', $sortOrder);
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'ruling_number' : 'ruling_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            // Natural numeric sorting for string numbers
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
 
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
         $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
@@ -63,6 +72,8 @@ class JudicialPrecedentApiController extends Controller
     {
         $request->validate([
             'search'   => 'nullable|string',
+            'sort_by'  => 'nullable|in:date,number',
+            'sort'     => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page' => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
 
@@ -78,8 +89,18 @@ class JudicialPrecedentApiController extends Controller
             });
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
+        $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'ruling_number' : 'ruling_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
+
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
-        $paginator = $query->orderBy('ruling_date', 'desc')->paginate($perPage);
+        $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
 
         $items = collect($paginator->items())->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatItem($item);
@@ -110,7 +131,6 @@ class JudicialPrecedentApiController extends Controller
         }
 
         $count = $query->count();
-        // Limit to 5 results for fast search dropdown
         $items = $query->orderBy('ruling_date', 'desc')->take(5)->get()->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatItem($item);
         });

app/Http/Controllers/api/LegalOpinionApiController.php

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ class LegalOpinionApiController extends Controller
     {
         $request->validate([
             'category_id' => 'nullable|exists:legal_opinion_categories,id',
+            'sort_by'     => 'nullable|in:date,number',
             'sort'        => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page'    => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
@@ -38,8 +39,15 @@ class LegalOpinionApiController extends Controller
             $query->where('category_id', $request->category_id);
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
         $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
-        $query->orderBy('opinion_date', $sortOrder);
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'opinion_number' : 'opinion_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
 
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
         $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
@@ -63,6 +71,8 @@ class LegalOpinionApiController extends Controller
     {
         $request->validate([
             'search'   => 'nullable|string',
+            'sort_by'  => 'nullable|in:date,number',
+            'sort'     => 'nullable|in:asc,desc',
             'per_page' => 'nullable|integer|min:1|max:100',
         ]);
 
@@ -79,8 +89,18 @@ class LegalOpinionApiController extends Controller
             });
         }
 
+        $sortBy = $request->input('sort_by', 'date');
+        $sortOrder = $request->input('sort', 'desc');
+        $sortColumn = $sortBy === 'number' ? 'opinion_number' : 'opinion_date';
+
+        if ($sortBy === 'number') {
+            $query->orderByRaw("LENGTH({$sortColumn}) {$sortOrder}")->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        } else {
+            $query->orderBy($sortColumn, $sortOrder);
+        }
+
         $perPage = min(max((int) $request->input('per_page', 15), 10), 100);
-        $paginator = $query->orderBy('opinion_date', 'desc')->paginate($perPage);
+        $paginator = $query->paginate($perPage);
 
         $items = collect($paginator->items())->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatItem($item);
@@ -112,7 +132,6 @@ class LegalOpinionApiController extends Controller
         }
 
         $count = $query->count();
-        // Limit to 5 results for fast search dropdown
         $items = $query->orderBy('opinion_date', 'desc')->take(5)->get()->map(function ($item) {
             return $this->formatItem($item);
         });