AI and Judicial Experts in Criminal Proceedings: Mapping the Interactions

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

The impact of AI on criminal justice has been explored in both academic literature and practical applications. However, little attention has been given to how AI transforms—and could further transform—the role of court experts in judicial proceedings.

This roundtable aims to map the various ways in which AI affects or is expected to affect the role of court experts. The discussion will have both descriptive and prognostic value. From a descriptive perspective, the roundtable seeks to establish the current scope of AI use by court experts, identify the areas where AI’s impact is most tangible, and examine the challenges it presents. From a forward-looking perspective, the discussion will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the future of court experts, considering the potential expansion of AI-based tools. In this sense, the roundtable invites a rethinking of the role and function of court experts in the evolving legal landscape.

The session will begin with an introductory presentation summarizing key findings from the international research project AI and Judicial Experts in Europe: Opportunities and Challenges, conducted at Jagiellonian University, Poland. The project provides an up-to-date analysis of the impact of AI on expert testimony, integrating the perspectives of practitioners, judicial experts, and academics from twelve countries. Participants will be invited to comment on these findings and contribute to a more comprehensive mapping of the interactions between AI and the role of court experts.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Courts and Sentencing and Penal Decision Making (Sentencing and Penal Decisionmaking WG)

Chair

• Mateusz Stępień, Jagiellonian University

Discussants

• Michalina Szafrańska, Jagiellonian University

• Katarzyna Struzińska, Jagiellonian University in Kraków