The Evolving Data Economy in Judicial Settings: Access, Privilege, and Monetisation

• In Event: Digital Criminology: Privatisation and Commercialisation

Abstract

In an era where data is often likened to the ‘new oil’, judicial institutions are increasingly becoming key players in an evolving data economy. This paper examines how access to judicial data for research reveals the asymmetries of privilege and power that emerge in this space. While courts traditionally function as custodians of legal integrity and transparency, the management of judicial data and subsequent monetisation introduce novel dynamics that challenge conventional understandings of judicial infrastructure.

I aim to interrogate how select entities gain privileged access to judicial data, positioning themselves as indispensable consultancy contractors in the ecosystem of legal decision-making and policy advising. Who decides who gets access? What conditions frame the monetisation of court data? And how does this influence the architecture of justice itself? By mapping these processes, I will explore the intersection of law, economics, and governance, shedding light on the emergence of a judicial data market where expertise and exclusivity are commodified.

Through a critical analysis of access protocols, data-sharing agreements, and the commercialisation of judicial information, this work argues that the contemporary judicial data economy is not merely an administrative byproduct but an active force shaping legal institutions. This raises pressing ethical and legal questions about transparency, accountability, and the democratic distribution of judicial knowledge. Ultimately, this paper seeks to uncover the shifting terrain of judicial power in an age where data is not only a tool for justice but also a currency of influence.

Author

• Ales Zavrsnik, Institute of Criminology at the Faculty of Law University of Ljubljana