The Paris Commercial Court, facing a growing caseload and a shortage of magistrates, has appointed a consular magistrate specializing in artificial intelligence. Beginning in January 2024, the court will utilize generative AI to create pre-reports for repetitive cases, enhancing efficiency. By December 2024, a dedicated AI-assisted tribunal chamber will be established, maintaining human oversight to ensure quality. This initiative aims to streamline the processing of documents while reserving judgment for judges, not AI.
The judicial system relies heavily on analyzing and summarizing numerous documents, many of which follow standard formats. With the volume of cases on the rise, there is a concerning lack of magistrates to address all the legal matters submitted to them in a timely manner.
Recognizing this challenge, Patrick Sayer, the newly elected President of the Paris Commercial Court, has appointed a consular magistrate focused on the integration of artificial intelligence in legal processes.
To highlight the context, the Paris Commercial Court comprises 180 elected judges, each managing around 60 cases annually, while also participating in decisions for nearly 200 cases. This includes recurring issues such as cases involving companies that close down and leave outstanding debts or those that fail to repay state-backed loans (PGE).
Utilizing Generative AI for Case Summarization
The initiative by the Paris Commercial Court commenced with a private training of ChatGPT 4, using anonymized data (excluding names, addresses, brands, etc.) to generate preliminary reports containing essential details. This approach proves particularly beneficial for repetitive cases, such as when a leasing company files 200 claims for unpaid dues from clients. Each claim typically involves a few hundred euros, contributing to a backlog in the court’s administrative processes.
Generative AI is well-suited for the task of reviewing and synthesizing digitized files.
Launching an AI-Enhanced Tribunal Chamber
Following testing phases throughout 2024, the Paris Commercial Court is set to establish a specialized unit by the end of December 2024 or early 2025, named ‘Chambre d’amélioration du traitement des litiges.’
The algorithms utilized in this unit will be designed to remain non-creative and will notify when they cannot adequately address a question. Their primary role will be as editorial assistants. Initial testing indicates that these AI tools could reduce the time required to draft preliminary reports by a factor of six.
Human oversight will remain essential to guarantee the quality of the documents entered into the AI system, ensuring that outdated case law is removed and new information is added as necessary.
AI’s Role in Legal Summaries, Not Judgments
The focus is on generating summaries of facts, extracting specific information from a collection of documents to assist in drafting straightforward legal documents, such as payment orders sent to bailiffs, which include key details like the debtor’s information and amounts owed.
In 2023, the Paris Commercial Court processed approximately 20,000 such cases. Implementing automation could accelerate handling time, allowing court clerks to dedicate more time to complex tasks.
It is crucial to note that the authority to make judgments remains firmly with consular judges, and there are no plans to delegate legal decisions to artificial intelligence.