2017 NLADA Annual Conference

Courts, legal service providers, and others in the justice community are increasingly adopting new technologies like machine learning, Big Data analytics, e-filing, automated triage, and on-line dispute resolution. New technologies always offer a mixture of risks and opportunities, but how do decision-makers cut through the hype they read in the press and the sales pitches they hear from vendors? This interactive session will start a conversation within the civil and defender communities about how we can inform and guide decision-makers so that these technologies are implemented in ways that protect the interests of our client populations. We will explore questions such as: How do we prevent software vendors from effectively setting policy within courts and government agencies? When does delegation of traditional court functions to vendors go too far? Promoting on-line dispute resolution has the potential for access to justice, but how can courts ensure that litigants still have a meaningful right to their day in court? When courts use AI to help litigants find information, how can they ensure the systems are providing high quality service? How far should legal aid organizations go in delegating tasks like triage and intake to technology? Court data may be "public information," but when it is available easily on the internet, scam artists can get to a defendant before the process server does. What should court clerks know about the dangers of public access systems?