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20 February 2026
Issue: 8150 / Categories: Legal News , Artificial intelligence , In Court , Technology
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NLJ this week: Justice at the algorithm’s edge

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is already embedded in the civil courts, but regulation lags behind practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie charts a landscape where AI assists with transcription, case management and document handling, yet raises acute concerns over evidence, advocacy and even judgment-writing

Courts have warned that generative AI tools ‘are not capable of conducting reliable legal research’, while a Civil Justice Council working group considers further guidance.

Roe explores proposals for AI-assisted decision-making in low-value claims, balanced against Art 6 and legitimacy concerns.

While AI may ease backlogs and enhance efficiency, the symbolic authority of a human judge remains potent. The question is no longer whether AI will shape litigation, but on what terms.

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NEWS
The controversial Courts and Tribunals Bill has passed its second reading by 304 votes to 203, despite concerted opposition from the legal profession
The presumption of parental involvement is to be abolished, the Lord Chancellor David Lammy has confirmed
A highly experienced chartered legal executive has been prevented from representing her client in financial remedies proceedings, in a case that highlights the continued fallout from Mazur
Plans to commandeer 50%-75% of the interest on lawyers’ client accounts to fund the justice system overlook the cost and administrative burden of this on small and medium law firms, CILEX has warned
Lawyers have been asked for their views on proposals to change the penalties for assaulting a police officer
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