UK to Trial AI Legal Assistants in Crown Courts as Backlog Tops 80,000 Cases
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
UK to Trial AI Legal Assistants in Crown Courts as Backlog Tops 80,000 Cases
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
Summary
David Lammy will announce Tuesday that AI legal assistants will be piloted in crown courts in England and Wales, alongside a tool to flag trial-ready cases and cluster similar hearings.
The Ministry of Justice is pitching the rollout as a way to cut delays, with Lammy saying AI has already saved probation staff thousands of admin days and could speed justice for victims.
More than 80,000 crown court cases are now waiting to be heard—up from 38,108 in 2019—and freedom of information data showed 2,600 trials were not listed until at least 2028, including 29 set for 2030.
The Law Society, which represents over 200,000 solicitors, said the pilot must be thoroughly evaluated and published, warning AI cannot replace court funding or additional staff.
Recent AI failures have sharpened those concerns: fabricated case citations tainted two legal cases last year, and a review found a Microsoft Copilot hallucination helped police justify banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match.
Can AI fix Britain's broken courts, or will 'hallucinating' tech create even more miscarriages of justice?
AI promises cheaper justice, but will it truly help the public or just boost profits for big law firms?
UK Justice System Deploys AI to Tackle 2,600+ Crown Court Backlog: Tools, Reforms, and Safeguards in 2026
Overview
Facing a severe backlog in Crown Courts, with thousands of trials delayed for years, the UK government has launched a major initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into the justice system. Announced by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, new AI-powered tools like an AI 'paralegal' and an AI listing tool will handle administrative and research tasks. This allows judges and court staff to focus on complex legal matters, aiming to significantly reduce court backlogs and deliver justice more efficiently and quickly across England and Wales.