Use of artificial intelligence to deal with the diesel processes

to process the diesel procedures, an assistance system based on artificial intelligence has been introduced at the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court. This should take over the systematization of the electronic procedural files according to recurring characteristics in order to relieve judges.

at the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court, an assistance system based on artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced to process the so-called diesel processes. For this purpose, a prototype was tested in the first half of the year, which, after further development steps, is now available to the 17 judges in four civilians who are responsible for appeals and complaints in "diesel lawsuits" as part of the so-called exhaust gas scandal. In Baden-Württemberg, the use of digital assistance systems is possible because the electronic acts are already part of everyday work in the dishes.

Justice Minister Marion Gentges said: "When introducing electronic acts in the courts and judicial authorities, Baden-Württemberg is already taking the pioneering role nationwide. We do not stop at this point. In a second wave of digitization, we also have to equip the judiciary with intelligent assistance systems. In the future we have already started. Artificial intelligence system support judges in processing the diesel lawsuit. ”

systematization of the files according to recurring characteristics

at the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court are currently pending 13,384 diesel procedures (cut-off date September 30, 2022). Around 600 entrances were recently recorded every month. These cases can be assigned using certain characteristics. To extract the decisive key data from the often more than a hundred pages and thus to select the equivalent cases from the present file stock, but is only possible manually with the greatest effort.  

The AI system is used at this point, says Marion Gentges. "The AI system analyzes the electronic procedural files and assigns them to each other with the same factual behavior. The systematization according to recurring features is a schematic activity for which we are not allowed to waste the energy of the judges. Their focus must be on checking the categorizations and then making careful decisions: We need this division Richter in the processing of content, review and decision, ”says Marion Gentges.

essential milestone on the way to the digital judiciary

Perspectively, an expansion of the project to further courts dealt with with the processing of the diesel issue is possible. For future mass procedures, the project can represent a blueprint for early and successful digital coping and thus form a significant milestone on the way to the digital judiciary. Baden-Württemberg drives the use of this future technology nationwide as the chair of the responsible topic of the BUND-LANDER-LANDER Commission for Information Technology in the Justice and makes a significant ensuring that cross-country standards are developed. AI applications should be developed once and used in the judiciary all over Germany. In addition to testing first AI applications for the judiciary, the focus is therefore on creating a nationwide strategy for AI use and the development of the necessary technology for an efficient use of AI in the judiciary.