HMCTS Tests Justice Transcribe AI for Crown Court

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The use of AI to generate criminal court transcripts - long proposed by campaigners for more open justice - is to be tested, the Ministry of Justice announced today. In the research HM Courts & Tribunals Service will test the accuracy of its in-house developed system, Justice Transcribe, in recording Crown court proceedings.

If successful, the scheme will allow victims of crime to receive machine-generated transcripts for free rather than having to pay hundreds - or even thousands - of pounds for commercial services, the MoJ said.

The government's AI Action Plan for Justice last year revealed that HMCTS has already piloted transcription software to assist judges in the  Immigration and Asylum Chamber. It described early findings as 'encouraging'.

Announcing the latest move, courts minister Sarah Sackman KC said: ’Victims show immense courage in coming to court, delivering their testimonies and looking their perpetrators in the eye. That’s why it is only right they process what happened in their case in their own time and on their own terms.

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• High cost of court transcripts is neither inevitable nor accidental
• AI to be embedded across the justice system 'By deploying AI in the courtroom, we can boost transparency and access to justice, building a modernised system that victims can rely on. For victims, facing a perpetrator in court can be deeply distressing. Access to transcripts can provide vital clarity and reassurance, letting them understand what happened during their case in their own time.'

Charlotte Schreurs, founder of the Open Justice For All campaign said: 'Court transcripts are imperative for victims in the healing process - to understand what was said and to be able to move on, but it also brings accountability and transparency of the courts.'

Sackman: 'Vital clarity and reassurance'

The MoJ said the findings of the research findings will 'inform nationwide plans to upgrade, modernise and open up the court system and increase access to justice'.

A question yet to be resolved is who, apart from victims, would have access to the free transcripts, which would be of obvious interest to AI developers. Current contracts with commercial transcription services are due to be renewed next year, the Gazette understands.

Law Society vice president Brett Dixon described the announcement as a positive step. However he added:  ‘Robust safeguards are needed to protect individuals and the integrity of the justice system. This includes retaining audio recordings to allow for accuracy to be checked.

‘If AI can be shown to operate fairly and without negative impact, it has the potential to reduce prohibitively high transcription costs and remove a barrier to a vital element of transparency in the justice system.’

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