AI legal assistants will be developed and tested for use in the Crown Court as part of efforts to speed up justice for victims
Artificial intelligence-powered legal assistants will be developed and tested for use in the Crown Court as part of a government drive to reduce delays and speed up justice for victims.
The initiative was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor David Lammy at London Tech Week and forms part of a wider package of technology measures aimed at improving efficiency across the justice system.
The Ministry of Justice said the AI legal assistants will be developed in partnership with legal experts and AI developers to support routine casework, including legal research and case analysis. The technology is intended to drive productivity and boost efficiency across the Crown Court.
Before any wider deployment, the tools will be tested in “highly controlled environments” to establish standards for their safe and ethical use. The government said any system would need to meet the standards expected by judges and legal professionals.
Alongside the legal assistants, the MoJ said judges are already planning to use a new AI tool to identify trial-ready cases and group similar hearings together, helping courts make better use of available resources and enabling cases to be resolved more quickly.
Announcing the plans, Lammy said: “Artificial intelligence has the power to transform how we live, work, and govern for the better.
“This impact for good can be seen in our justice system – with thousands of days of admin work saved for our probation staff, and the advent of new tools which aim to cut court backlogs and deliver swifter justice for victims.”
The announcement forms part of a broader government strategy to expand the use of AI across the justice system. The Ministry of Justice said every probation officer in England and Wales has now been equipped with Justice Transcribe, an AI-powered tool that automatically records and transcribes conversations with offenders. According to the government, the technology could save the equivalent of 18,750 calendar days of staff time annually by reducing administrative workloads.
The MoJ said a similar tool is being trialled in the Immigration and Asylum Tribunals to allow judges to transcribe case notes and alleviate administrative pressures, before being considered for wider rollout across the court and tribunal system.
The latest measures follow the government’s launch of AI Growth Labs, a testing environment designed to help lawtech developers trial and refine AI products before bringing them to market, with legal services selected as the first sector to participate.
Responding to the announcement, Law Society chief executive Ian Jeffery welcomed the government’s focus on the safe and ethical use of AI but stressed the importance of careful scrutiny.
He said: “We welcome the MoJ’s acknowledgement of the importance of ensuring safe and ethical use of any new tools, including AI.
“However, for the use of AI in the Crown Court to be effective, the pilot must be thoroughly evaluated. The outcomes of these evaluations, along with the impact of AI on the justice system, should be made public.
“While new technology should enhance access to justice, it cannot replace vital funding and additional court staff. Robust safeguards are needed to protect us all and preserve the integrity of the justice system.”