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20 February 2026 / Ben Roe
Issue: 8150 / Categories: Features , In Court , Artificial intelligence , Technology
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Justice by AI?

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From document management to decision-making: Ben Roe explores the practical applications of AI in the courtroom

  • This article considers the legal framework governing use of AI in the English courts, and the relative absence of specific guidance.
  • It explores the practical applications of AI in court, including efficiency tools and advocacy assistance, alongside emerging concerns around the use of AI to generate evidence, assess emotions in court and make judicial decisions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform litigation, from how lawyers research and draft documents to how cases are managed. The civil courts are no exception. As this potential becomes more obvious, fundamental questions about the proper role of AI in the courtroom demand attention.

What are the rules?

The regulatory framework governing the use of AI in court remains strikingly underdeveloped. Judges and practitioners looking for clear guidance on what they may do will search largely in vain.

  • This is not for want of activity. At the international level, both UNESCO and the Council of Europe have produced guidelines on use of AI in judicial systems, each
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NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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