Closing the Justice Gap: How Courts Are Leveraging GenAI for Greater Accessibility
Last week, I wrote about the release of recent judicial guidance for judges and court personnel seeking to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to assist with the administration of justice. The guidance provided a roadmap for the ethical implementation of GenAI into the judiciary’s workflows.
This week, let’s discuss another relevant use case for GenAI in the courts: expanding access to justice by making the court system more accessible.
For years, courts have grappled with high caseloads and limited resources. More recently, the number of self-represented litigants has increased due to reduced federal support for legal aid organizations. With this influx of pro se litigants comes an increased demand for legal and procedural information. In the past, court websites and directories provided some assistance but were often difficult to navigate. Obtaining relevant information about court processes continued to be challenging.
Enter GenAI, which has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to help bridge the access-to-justice gap. One of the most notable benefits of GenAi when applied to a database of information, such as court documents and data, is that it provides a user-friendly interface in the form of a responsive, knowledgeable chatbot. What was once challenging to unearth becomes quick and easy to access.
These GenAI interfaces can make all the difference to our overloaded court systems. Once deployed, they simplify and streamline complex court instructions and processes, from translating complex legal language and providing easy access to templates and court forms to enhancing public understanding of the court system.
With GenAI, courts can eliminate procedural barriers and provide much-needed information, reduce administrative burdens, and empower pro se individuals with the tools needed to navigate our judicial system. For courts willing to embrace change and take advantage of all these tools, the benefits can be significant.
A few courts have already deployed GenAI-powered chatbots. For example, Nevada courts recently introduced a generative AI-powered chatbot designed to deliver plain-language legal guidance in multiple languages. Developed by CiviLaw.Tech for the Nevada Supreme Court, this generative AI-powered chatbot provides clear, concise, and personalized responses to common legal questions, helping individuals understand their options and the procedural steps they need to take.
Similarly, Lemma Legal recently developed Missouri Tenant Help, an online resource for Missouri tenants seeking legal support. The platform includes an intake screening tool that incorporates the advanced GenAI language processing of GPT-4. This approach helps users determine their eligibility for assistance before speaking with program staff. Adding genAI to the intake process has removed a key barrier for tenants needing legal help, allowing them to understand their options quickly and easily.
These early court adopters of GenAI are finding that, with careful oversight, generative AI can not only make legal resources more accessible but also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of courts as a whole. While challenges remain—especially around ethical implications, data privacy, and accuracy—GenAI interfaces present unique opportunities to democratize access to justice.
As courts continue to experiment with and refine these tools, the hope is that legal services will become more readily available and tailored to the needs of all individuals, regardless of their background or resources. Will this actually happen, or is it a pie-in-the-sky pipe dream? I tend toward cynicism, but every effort counts and moves us one step closer to a more equitable and accessible judicial system. Only time will tell if GenAi will truly help bridge the access to justice gap.
Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney, author, journalist, and Principal Legal Insight Strategist at MyCase, CASEpeer, Docketwise, and LawPay, practice management and payment processing tools for lawyers (AffiniPay companies). She is the nationally-recognized author of “Cloud Computing for Lawyers” (2012) and co-authors “Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier” (2010), both published by the American Bar Association. She also co-authors “Criminal Law in New York,” a Thomson Reuters treatise. She writes regular columns for Above the Law, ABA Journal, and The Daily Record, has authored hundreds of articles for other publications, and regularly speaks at conferences regarding the intersection of law and emerging technologies. She is an ABA Legal Rebel, and is listed on the Fastcase 50 and ABA LTRC Women in Legal Tech. She can be contacted at niki.black@mycase.com.