How Future Artificial Intelligence Systems Will Alleviate Access to Justice Concerns & Reduce Tribunal Backlog

Enhancing Access to Justice Through AI-Assisted Legal Systems

Access to justice is a fundamental principle that ensures individuals can present their cases in legal proceedings and have those proceedings heard within a reasonable timeframe. However, the current legal system often falls short of this ideal, with many tribunals experiencing significant delays. This article explores how future Artificial Intelligence Legal Systems (AILS) can enhance access to justice by streamlining processes and reducing backlogs.

The Current State of Access to Justice

AI offers transformative solutions to the access to justice problem faced by self-represented litigants. These individuals often struggle to navigate the complexities of the legal system without professional legal assistance. AI legal systems can significantly enhance a SRLs confidence and capability in engaging in legal processes.

AI can automate document management, ensuring paperwork is correctly formatted and submitted on time while reducing administrative burdens. It provides SRLs with comprehensive legal knowledge, relevant case law, and preliminary case assessments, helping them understand the strengths and weaknesses of their claims. AI assists in organizing and presenting evidence clearly, enhancing a SRLs ability to communicate their arguments effectively. More importantly, it allows them to present arguments succinctly, thereby saving a decision-maker’s captive time.

Interactive AI systems guide SRLs through their cases, asking questions to complement evidence and flagging unattainable remedies. AI compiles legal arguments and case law references, creating well-structured submissions similar to a lawyer’s work. Finally, AI can seamlessly submit all information on behalf of SRLs, ensuring efficient and accurate filing. By providing these tools, AI legal systems empower SRLs to seek justice confidently, reducing the need for expensive legal representation and improving access to justice for all.

The Promise of AI in Legal Systems

Technology, particularly AI, helps those that do not have the financial means to hire a lawyer. AI legal systems can increase a SRLs confidence in engaging in legal processes without a lawyer. An automated system could scan and file documents, highlight and pinpoint the relevant evidence, pose some questions to clarify the evidence, draft an affidavit using the evidence, and provide preliminary assessments of cases.

Preventing Overburdened Tribunals

One of the primary concerns with implementing automated systems is the risk of overburdening tribunals with an influx of complaints. While automation makes it easier to file complaints, it does not address the capacity of tribunals to handle these complaints. Some no-fee administrative tribunals are so overburdened with complaints that it takes five to ten years for a complaint to be heard by a decision-maker.

Hiring More Decision-Makers

A straightforward solution to this problem is to hire more decision-makers. Increasing the number of judges and tribunal members would directly address the issue of capacity, allowing more cases to be heard and resolved in a timely manner. However, this solution is often met with budgetary and logistical challenges, making it difficult to implement on a large scale.

AI-Assisted Decision Making

If hiring more decision-makers is not feasible, the next best solution is to enhance the capabilities of existing decision-makers through AI assistance. Just as pilots rely on autopilot systems to manage routine aspects of flying while retaining control over critical decisions, legal professionals can use AI to handle routine tasks while focusing on the substantive aspects of cases.

AI can assist decision-makers by providing data-driven insights, identifying relevant precedents, and suggesting potential outcomes based on historical data. This could enable decision-makers to work more efficiently and make more informed decisions, ultimately reducing the time it takes to resolve cases.

Maintaining Human Oversight

Despite the advantages of AI, it is crucial to maintain human oversight in the legal process. The role of human judgment in interpreting laws, understanding nuances, and ensuring fairness cannot be understated. AI should be viewed as a tool that enhances human capabilities, not as a replacement for human decision-makers.

Balancing Efficiency and Fairness

The integration of AI into legal systems must be carefully managed to balance efficiency with fairness. While AI can streamline processes and reduce delays, it is essential to ensure that the use of technology does not compromise the quality of justice. This requires ongoing monitoring and evaluation of AI systems to ensure they are functioning as intended and that any biases or errors are promptly addressed.

Conclusion

The future of access to justice lies in the effective integration of AI into legal systems and online dispute resolution tribunals. By automating routine tasks and assisting decision-makers, AI has the potential to significantly reduce delays and improve the efficiency of legal proceedings. However, it is essential to maintain human oversight and ensure that the use of AI enhances, rather than undermines, the quality of justice. With careful implementation and ongoing evaluation, AI-assisted legal systems can help achieve the goal of timely and fair access to justice for all.