The UK government has launched a study to examine how AI could be used to produce court transcripts more quickly and at lower cost, part of its efforts to modernise the justice system and improve access to court records.

The research, led by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, will explore the use of AI to transcribe court hearings, potentially reducing the time and expense involved in accessing official records.

The initiative aims to improve transparency and make transcripts more accessible to victims and other parties.

The study will assess whether the Ministry of Justice’s in-house AI transcription tool, Justice Transcribe, can meet required accuracy standards while lowering costs.

Currently, transcripts of Crown Court proceedings are produced by contracted providers. The government said court transcript fees mean that victims have to pay hundreds or thousands of pounds to access exactly what was said in court, which can help to provide answers and closure.

The government said faster access to transcripts could help victims understand court proceedings and revisit details of their case after hearings, particularly in complex or distressing situations. It added that AI-based transcription could remove barriers that have historically limited access to court records.

The study forms part of plans to digitise and modernise the courts system. The findings will inform decisions on nationwide deployment of AI-powered transcription technology across courts and tribunals.

The announcement follows a commitment by the government that victims whose cases are heard in the Crown Court will be able to request free transcripts of judges’ sentencing remarks from spring 2027. The government said the move will complement the AI research by expanding access to court information.

The initiative comes as the Victims and Courts Bill and the Courts and Tribunals Bill progress through Parliament, with the government aiming to use digital technologies to deliver faster and more accessible justice services.

The Courts and Tribunals Bill would also remove the right to trial by jury for either-way offences with sentences of less than three years. This policy is controversial, and has been criticised by UK legal scholars including law reform and human rights organisation Justice.

Minister for courts and legal services, Sarah Sackman KC, said that by deploying AI in the courtroom, the justice system could boost transparency and build a system that victims could rely on.

“Victims show immense courage in coming to court, delivering their testimonies and looking their perpetrators in the eye,” she added. “That’s why it is only right they process what happened in their case in their own time and on their own terms.”

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