The rise and fall of the legal expert system†
Abstract
Those very few of us who were critical of the rise of legal expert systems in the early 1980s probably wonder, in idle moments, whether there is a possibility of rejuvenation of an approach which was once multi-various and is now obscure and esoteric. Is it possible that after rising and falling, that legal expert system research programme could rise again? What were the conditions which gave impetus to the field and could they be repeated? In this article I want to return, with a personal viewpoint, on the rise of expert systems and why - despite their failure - the appeal of commoditising legal expertise continues to allure the unwary.
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It is too difficult to specify all the relevant rules for a given situation, and the legal domain is no exception.
“It turned out to be too dif fi cult to specify all the relevant rules for a given situation (McCarthy 1980), and the legal domain was no exception (Leith 2016).”
From Human Judgment in algorithmic loops: Individual justice and automated <scp>decision‐making</scp> (2022) · cites this paper as Leith 2016
Legal expert systems, like expert systems in general, did not transpire to be as effective as hoped.
“However, legal expert systems, like expert systems in general, did not transpire to be as effective as hoped.”
From Human Judgment in algorithmic loops: Individual justice and automated <scp>decision‐making</scp> (2022) · cites this paper as Leith 2016
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- Authors
- Leith, P.
- Affiliations
- Queen's University Belfast (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Leith, Philip
- Venue
- International Review of Law, Computers & Technology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2016-09
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 94-106
- ISSN
- 1360-0869 (ISSN-L)
- 1364-6885
- OpenAlex
- W2546985383
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 5.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Review of Law Computers & Technology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Artificial Intelligence in Law
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › AI-based Problem Solving and Planning
- Social Sciences › Law › Digitalization, Law, and Regulation
- Keywords
- legal expert systems, expert systems, legal technology, legal informatics, research programs
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