Today, technology is used in almost every part of life. It is also used in the legal field. Courts, lawyers, and the public are now using new tools like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation. These tools are changing how legal work is done, how courts work, and how people find justice. This new way is called “tech-driven justice.”AI and automation are not just ideas for the future. They are already used in many countries. For example, some courts use video calls for hearings. People can send legal papers through online systems. AI tools help lawyers do research and find case laws faster. Law firms also use software to write legal documents and find problems in contracts. Some programs can even guess what might happen in a case.
These changes help courts work faster. They also help people who live far away or cannot afford a lawyer. Mobile apps and websites now give legal help to more people.This article will explain how AI and automation are changing law. It will show how different countries use technology in the legal system. It will also talk about how Sri Lanka is starting to use these tools. The article will explain some problems too, like unfair systems or keeping personal information safe.In the end, the article will give ideas to make sure everyone gets justice with the help of technology. It is important that justice stays fair, open, and easy for all people to reach.
Understanding Tech-Driven Justice
Tech-driven justice means using modern technology to help the legal system work better. It helps courts, lawyers, and people. Technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, machine learning, natural language processing, and blockchain are used. These tools help the legal system to be faster, easier to use, and more open for everyone.AI tools can help with simple legal tasks. 1They can answer basic legal questions, prepare documents, and find old court cases quickly. Automation helps courts with everyday tasks, like fixing court dates, filing documents, and sending notices. This saves time and reduces costs for both courts and people.
Many countries are already using these tools. In Estonia, people can file cases online, attend court from home, and get the result online. In the United Kingdom, people can solve small civil cases through online courts. This means they don’t need to go to court buildings. It is very helpful for people living in faraway places or who cannot afford lawyers.India also uses technology in its courts. In the case State of Maharashtra v. Dr. Praful B. Desai 2, the court said witnesses can give their evidence through video call. In Salem Advocate Bar Association v. Union of India 3, the court said civil evidence can be recorded using video or audio. In Santhini v. Vijaya Venketesh 4, the court allowed family cases to happen through video call if both sides agree. In Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India 5, the court allowed live-streaming of important court cases. This helped people understand how courts work and made justice more open to the public.In Sri Lanka, during the COVID-19 lockdown, courts used video calls to continue urgent cases. In the case Kariapper v. Wijesinghe 6, the Court of Appeal used Zoom to carry on court hearings. This allowed people to get justice even when they could not go to court physically.These examples show that technology can really help improve the justice system. But we must use it carefully. Some people don’t have internet or don’t know how to use technology. Also, courts must keep personal data safe and treat everyone fairly. If used well, tech-driven justice can make courts faster, fairer, and easier for all people.
Application of AI in the Legal Sector
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now used in many areas of the legal field. It is changing the way lawyers, judges, and courts work. AI can read and understand large amounts of legal information very fast. This helps legal professionals save time, avoid mistakes, and work more effectively.One of the most common uses of AI is in legal research. Before, lawyers had to spend many hours reading books, judgments, and laws to find what they needed. Now, with AI tools like ROSS Intelligence and CaseText, they can type a question in plain English. The AI tool then searches thousands of documents and gives the correct answers in seconds. This makes the work much faster and easier, especially for small law offices that have less staff.Another important use of AI is in contract review. Big companies and law firms deal with hundreds of contracts. Checking each contract takes a lot of time and attention. But with tools like Kira Systems, AI can scan these contracts and highlight important points like deadlines, risks, and key clauses. This helps lawyers focus on important things and not miss anything by mistake.
AI is also used in predictive justice. This means using old court cases and decisions to guess what might happen in a new case. For example, AI might tell a lawyer how likely it is to win a case based on similar past judgments. This helps in planning legal strategies. However, it is important to be careful. If past cases had unfair judgments, the AI might repeat that unfairness. So, human review and fairness are still important.In India, the Supreme Court case State of Maharashtra v. Dr. Praful B. Desai 8 approved the use of video conferencing for court witnesses. The court said that a person giving evidence on a video call is still “present in court.” This decision showed that Indian courts accept new technology when it is helpful.
In Sri Lanka, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the courts started using Zoom to hear urgent cases. In the case Kariapper v. Wijesinghe , the Court of Appeal used video conferencing to keep court work going when people could not come in person. This shows how technology can support justice during difficult times.In conclusion, AI is a powerful and useful tool in the legal field. It helps with research, contracts, and court planning. But it must be used with care. Fairness, privacy, and human judgment should always be protected.
Written By: –
Fathima Ruza
Faculty of Law,
University of Colombo
Design By: –
Rtr. Kawindra Wickramasinghe
(Junior Blog Team Member 2025-26)
