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Technology

Jul. 28, 2026

Beyond chatbots: Is there a role for adjudicative AI?

As artificial intelligence transforms legal practice and increases demands on already overburdened courts, California's judiciary should openly evaluate the circumstances under which--and subject to what safeguards--AI can responsibly assist judges with their adjudicative work.

Administration Building

Karin Schwartz

Judge

Civil Direct Calendar

Stanford Law School

See more...

Beyond chatbots: Is there a role for adjudicative AI?
Shutterstock

By any measure, California's trial courts are busy. Based on an informal survey supported by a few administrative record requests that I recently conducted of courts of similar size to my own, caseloads in civil direct calendar departments may approach or exceed 1,000 per judge. At the time of writing, my own civil caseload numbers approximately 890 unlimited cases and 40 limited cases, which I handle with the support of one-third of a legal research attorney (shared with two...

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