AI in Judicial Decision-Making and the Digitalization of Courts

A Comparative and Empirical Research Project

This project examines how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and virtual reality, are reshaping judicial decision-making and transforming the role of courts. Using empirical methods and comparative legal analysis, the study investigates the ways in which different jurisdictions integrate these technologies into adjudication, with a focus on institutional reforms, evidentiary processes, and regulatory frameworks. It evaluates the impact of AI on adjudication in both civil and criminal proceedings.
At the theoretical level, the research reconsiders the core meaning of courts through the lenses of sociology and political theory. It explores how authority, legitimacy, and public trust in judicial institutions are reshaped when decisions are influenced or automated by AI systems. This includes an analysis of the effect of digital infra­struc­tures on the judiciary’s role as a guardian of constitutional values and an arbiter of social conflicts, with implica­tions for transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. The inquiry proceeds by engaging three frameworks: public reason (Rawls), discourse theory (Habermas), and legal autonomy (Luhmann).
The research project places particular emphasis on criminal justice, where AI introduces specific tensions in the areas of punishment theory, due process, evidentiary thresholds, and the presumption of innocence. It examines how algorithmic tools alter the assessment of evidence, the formulation of proof standards, and the structure of adversarial and inquisitorial processes. The project aims to develop normative and value-based frameworks that safeguard judicial independence and human rights while simultaneously integrating technological innovation into evidence evaluation, adjudication, and procedural safeguards.