Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Courts: Opportunities and Challenges

In an era of rapid technological advancement, justice systems around the world stand at the threshold of a profound transformation. Digitalization and artificial intelligence offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance efficiency, broaden access to legal remedies, and bring courts closer to citizens. Yet, as judicial processes become increasingly digitalized and automated, critical questions arise: how can we ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in online dispute resolution (ODR) and AI-driven systems? What protections must be in place to preserve privacy, uphold fundamental rights, and ensure that technology serves, rather than undermines, the core principles of justice?

Positioned at the intersection between technology and justice, Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Courts: Opportunities and Challenges explores these questions. The first part of the volume considers strategies for bridging the digital divide, explores the potential for process pluralism, outlines data protection requirements, and emphasizes the necessity of robust cybersecurity frameworks. It also tackles one of the most pressing concerns of the digital era: fostering trust and legal certainty in a virtual justice system. The second part presents a comparative analysis of selected groundbreaking national and cross-border court digitalization initiatives, from England and the United States to China, Pakistan, and the European Union. The final part examines the role of AI in courts, offering a critical reflection on its promises and perils, from algorithmic bias to the controversial concept of "AI judges."

Through a rigorous and balanced analysis, the authors map the opportunities and challenges of an increasingly digitalized legal landscape. Essential for legal professionals, policymakers, and scholars, Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Courts serves as a fundamental guide to navigating the future of justice systems and technology in the twenty-first century.

Includes a foreword by Lord Briggs of Westbourne, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

Fernando Esteban de la Rosa, Professor of Private International Law, University of Granada,Pablo Cortés, Professor of Civil Justice, University of Leicester,Nuria Marchal Escalona, Professor of Private International Law, University of Granada

Fernando Esteban de la Rosa is a Professor of Private International Law, Director of the Department of Private International Law and History of Law, and Scientific Director of the Research Unit of Excellence Digital Society at the University of Granada. He is also an Associate member of the Hispano-Luso-American-Filipino Institute of International Law, a fellow of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution (UMass, Amherst), and a fellow of the European Law Institute. He was appointed as a Member of the Digital Justice Working Group of the World Bank (2024).

Pablo Cortés is a Professor of Civil Justice at Leicester Law School, where he specializes in dispute resolution, with a particular focus on Alternative and Online Dispute Resolution. He also serves as an arbitrator and adjudicator on various CEDR panels and has authored four notable books exploring the intersection of technology and dispute resolution. He is the co-editor of the journal Amicus Curiae. As a consultant, Professor Cortés has made significant contributions to several high-impact projects, including assisting the European Commission in developing legislative proposals for the ADR Directive and the ODR Regulation. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he was awarded the prestigious National Mediation Award for ADR Academic Researcher of the Year in December 2022.

Nuria Marchal Escalona is a Professor of Private International Law, Secretary of the Department of Private International Law and History of Law, and a member of the Research Unit of Excellence Digital Society at the University of Granada. She is a Supernumerary member of the Mexican Academy of Private and Comparative International Law and has advised the Spanish Ministry of Justice on the negotiation and drafting of Regulation 805/2004 on the European Enforcement Order for uncontested claims.