Creating New Pathways to Justice Using Simple Artificial Intelligence and Online Dispute Resolution

International Journal of Online Dispute Resolution, 2015 (2) 1

Osgoode Legal Studies Research Paper No. 27/2015

52 Pages Posted: 30 Nov 2015 Last revised: 20 Jun 2016

See all articles by Darin Thompson

Darin Thompson

York University - Osgoode Hall Law School; University of Victoria - Faculty of Law

Date Written: June 30, 2015

Abstract

Access to justice in can be improved significantly through implementation of simple artificial intelligence (AI) based expert systems deployed within a broader online dispute resolution (ODR) framework.

Simple expert systems can bridge the ‘implementation gap’ that continues to impede the adoption of AI in the justice domain. This gap can be narrowed further through the design of multi-disciplinary expert systems that address user needs through simple, non-legalistic user interfaces.

This article provides a non-technical conceptual description of an expert system designed to enhance access to justice for non-experts. The system’s knowledge base would be populated with expert knowledge from the justice and dispute resolution domains. A conditional logic rule-based system forms the basis of the inference engine located between the knowledge base and a questionnaire-based user interface.

The expert system’s functions include problem diagnosis, delivery of customized information, self-help support, triage and streaming into subsequent ODR processes. Its usability is optimized through the engagement of human computer interaction (HCI) and effective computing techniques that engage the social and emotional sides of technology.

The conceptual descriptions offered in this article draw support from empirical observations of an innovative project aimed at creating an expert system for an ODR-enabled civil justice tribunal.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, online dispute resolution, ODR, expert system, justice, access to justice, legal information technology, knowledge base, knowledge engineering, pathway, affective computing, human computer interaction, HCI, self-help, triage

JEL Classification: K4, K40, K41

Suggested Citation

Thompson, Darin, Creating New Pathways to Justice Using Simple Artificial Intelligence and Online Dispute Resolution (June 30, 2015). International Journal of Online Dispute Resolution, 2015 (2) 1, Osgoode Legal Studies Research Paper No. 27/2015, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2696499

Darin Thompson (Contact Author)

York University - Osgoode Hall Law School ( email )

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada

University of Victoria - Faculty of Law ( email )

PO Box 2300, STN CSC
McGill at Ring Rds (Fraser Bldg)
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3B1
Canada

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
809
Abstract Views
3,522
Rank
56,016
PlumX Metrics