Created in 2010 by professors Karim Benyekhlef, of the Université de Montréal, and Fabien Gélinas, of McGill University, the Laboratory studies and develops ICTs designed to improve dispute resolution processes, be they judicial or extrajudicial; it is also a center of reflection and creativity where judicial processes are modeled and re-imagined.

The Laboratory’s research team seeks to better understand the socio-legal obstacles to the networking of judicial actors and to find concrete solutions to facilitate the development of a new software generation adapted to their needs. Its goal is to optimize traditional legal process in order to improve efficiency, reduce costs and delays and simplify the mechanisms involved.

The Cyberjustice Laboratory

Postal AddressCyberjustice LaboratoryFaculty of LawUniversité de MontréalC.P. 6128, station DowntownMontréal (Québec) CanadaH3C 3J7

Geographical AddressBuilding 3200 Jean-Brillant (B-2215)Université de Montréal3200, Jean-Brillant StreetMontréal (Québec) CanadaH3T 1N8

www.ajcact.orgwww.cyberjustice.cainfo@cyberjustice.ca514-343-6111, ext. 2550

4 Platforms, 6 Applications, 27 Modules

Partners

University PartnersThe benefits we derive our university partners stem from an unprecedented access to cutting-edge data in the field of justice and artificial intelligence, as well as access to multiple actors in the field.

Institutional PartnersOur institutional partners will have a better understanding of the issues involved in integrating AI into the justice system. ACT will give them the tools they need to make informed technological choices that comply with the laws and expectations of the various stakeholders, while respecting the principles of justice.

Professional PartnersThe professional world sees ACT as an unprecedented opportunity to modernize and update legal services “industry,” by, for example, helping to develop software applications that can optimize and diversify the work of lawyers and notaries.

Industry PartnersFor companies developing technological solutions for the judicial community, the project provides unparalleled access to the actors, expertise and data needed to develop effective tools adapted to the specific context of the justice community.

Social Justice and Community PartnersCommunity partners, whose goal is to improve the prevention and resolution of conflicts in our societies, will be able to count on new tools and new knowledge to help litigants.

A 21st century justice

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The Autonomy Through Cyberjustice Technologies (ACT) project is a unique partnership in the fields of artificial intelligence and cyberjustice. ACT is led by Professor Karim Benyekhlef, Director of the Cyberjustice Laboratory, and funded by the 2017 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) competition. The ACT partnership aims to improve conflict prevention and resolution by using artificial intelligence (AI) to the benefit of legal actors.

www.ajcact.org

The socio-legal approach is based on:

• An inductive methodology based on case studies;• The identification and critical analysis of tools to increase

the autonomy of judicial actors;• The multidisciplinary study of the computerization of justice

and its impacts.

The techno-legal approach, is based on:

• A research applied methodology;• The simulation, use or development of software prototypes

using AI for the benefit of legal actors;• The use of data, algorithms and software owned

by ACT partners.

Partenariat AJC : 2018-2024

Working Group 2 — Conflict ResolutionWG2 studies the technical means that relate to the resolution of conflicts, be they judicial (like the Court of Quebec), administrative (such as the Tribunal administratif du Québec) or extra-judicial (mediation, arbitration, etc.).Pr Fabien Gélinas, McGill University

Subproject 5Pilot project with the Office de la protec-tion du consomma-teur du QuébecPr Jean-François Roberge

Subproject 6Pilot project with the Condominium Authority Tribunal (CAT)Pr Nicolas Vermeys

Subproject 7Distributive justice processes using immersive video technologiesPr David Tait

Subproject 8Tools for self- represented litigantsPr Fabien Gélinas

Subproject 9Decision tools for legal practitioners and adjudica-tors, judges and arbitratorsPr Fredric Lederer

Working Group 3 — Governance and PoliciesWG’s methodological works focus on cross-cutting issues that the first two research axes have in common. Its goal is to develop a governance framework to improve the development and use of artificial intelligence tools in a fair, ethical, safe and equitable way.Pr Jacquie Burkell and Pr Jane Bailey , University of Western Ontario and University of Ottawa

Subproject 10Inventory of policies and best practices of empowerment by AI methodsPr Amy F. Salyzyn

Subproject 11Empowering margi-nalized peoplesPr Karine Gentelet

Subproject 12Evaluation and key performance indicatorsMe Harold Épineuse

Subproject 13Ethical and socio-political issues of AI and autonomizationPr Jacquie Burkell

Subproject 14Issues associated with harvesting ju-dicial data: privacy, intellectual property and open dataPr Pierre-Luc Déziel

Subproject 15Security issues stemming from AI toolsPr Benoît Dupont

Subproject 16Roadmap for digital transformationPr Florian Martin-Bariteau

Methodology

Research and Deliverables

Step 1Inventory of AI application cases for justice

Step 2Evaluation of their impact with regard to the empowerment of judicial actors

Step 3Development of best practices to safeguard the interests of the parties

Step 4Development of a governance framework to ensure the fair use of AI for justice

Working Group 1 — Conflict PreventionThe WG1 team focuses on the study of technical means that might assure conflict prevention. Within the framework of this project, the definition of prevention encompasses any technical means allowing the actors to prevent the occurrence of a conflict.Pr Tom van Engers, Universiteit van Amsterdam1

2

3

Subproject 1Pre-conflict decision tools for litigants and defendantsPr Valentin Callipel

Subproject 2Pre-conflict decision tools for legal practitionersPr Kevin Ashley

Subproject 3Decision support tools for tax, administrative authors and the policePr Tom van Engers

Subproject 4Smart contracts and regulation technologiesPr David Restrepo Amariles

In order to achieve its objectives, the ACT project combines two methodological approaches based on what’s known as a cross-fertilization model:

Socio-legal approach

Scientific study and analysis of the impact of cyberjustice tools

Techno-legal approach

Practical applications of open source

cyberjustice tools tested through the participation

of our partners

With its pragmatic approach, the ACT project will lead to the development of the following deliverables:

• Inventories of AI application cases for justice;• Case studies;• Best practice guides;• A legal governance framework for AI.

This major project will promote the training of young people in the field of research by contributing to the annual training of about 25 law and computer science students.

In terms of spin-offs, the projects will allow for the experimen-tation and implementation of innovative technologies for justice and new opportunities for the private sector, both in Canada and internationally.

2018 2024

45 researchers, 44 partners, 32 universities, 9 fields of study and dozens of students

webinars workshops

papersguides

inventories

libraryhackathons

conferencesdebates studies blogs

reports

seminars