Project description
AI and automation in the courtroom
As AI and automated decision-making (ADM) systems gain ground in Europe’s judicial frameworks, concerns over fairness and transparency intensify. Nearly 100 systems now support tasks ranging from basic transcription to predicting recidivism risks. While promising efficiency, these tools risk undermining judicial discretion and perpetuating biases. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ADJUST project aims to bridge gaps in current research by focusing on the design, trust, and impact of ADM systems. By examining legal systems in Denmark, Italy, and the European Court of Human Rights, ADJUST investigates the balance between innovation and the right to a fair trial. The project offers crucial insights into the future of AI in courts.
Objective
ADJUST investigaADJUST investigates the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Decision-Making (ADM) in judicial systems, focusing on their impact on fair trials. There are almost 100 such systems in use in Europe alone, conducting tasks from menial transcriptions to complex matters such as suggesting relevant precedent or estimating the risk of recidivism. While AI promises to enhance the efficiency and coherence of adjudication, its use also raises concerns about bias, transparency, and the potential erosion of judicial discretion.
Much existing research overlooks either the specific training and design of each system, or the role of court actors beyond judges, such as clerks and registrars, who interact directly with the systems and whose tasks are prone to automation. Overlooking these two dimensions risks oversimplifying the analysis of AI’s benefits and drawbacks. ADJUST fills this gap by pursuing three objectives: 1) Mapping existing ADM applied in courts, 2) Investigating why court actors do or do not trust and implement ADM, and 3) Understanding how ADM technology impacts the right to a fair trial.
The project employs an interdisciplinary approach, bridging human rights law and computer science. It does so by 1) mapping existing ADM applied in courts worldwide, and 2) conducting an in-depth comparative study of three legal systems: the European Court of Human Rights, and two Danish and two Italian courts. These case-studies are selected for their heterogeneity in legal systems and adjudicative procedure, use of precedent, and division of labour between court staff.
My publication record on AI, courts and judicial discretion, my current involvement in a technical Horizon project developing human right compliant AI, as well as the leading role of my supervisor and the iCourts Center at University of Copenhagen in empirical legal studies enable me to undertake this first systematic study on the impact of ADM on the right to a fair trial.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.