In March 2025, Justice Connect and the Federation of Community Legal Centres lodged a joint submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s Inquiry into the Use of AI in Courts and Tribunals.  

With the legal system increasingly stretched and many Victorians missing out on timely help, the submission argues that ethical, well-designed AI offers a way to meet growing legal need at scale, but only if key safeguards are put in place. 

Drawing on direct service experience, digital innovation, and AI ethics practice, the submission outlines three areas of focus: the use of AI in courts and tribunals; among legal professionals; and for court users. It provides 16 detailed recommendations, including: 

• Clear ethical guidelines for AI use in courts; 

• Transparent, explainable systems with human oversight; 

• Strong protections for privacy and data; 

• Equitable access to AI across legal actors; 

• Investment in closed, co-designed systems that are publicly owned and responsive to users. 

Rather than relying on third-party, general-use AI tools, Justice Connect, and the Federation stress the need for bespoke tools designed specifically for Victoria’s legal context. Their submission outlines Justice Connect’s own AI initiative: a collaborative legal language model that helps people connect with the right help faster and more accurately. In practice, this tool has dramatically improved intake outcomes and user trust. 

The submission is forward-looking, urging government to move beyond viewing AI as a risk to be managed, and instead to resource its potential to solve systemic challenges. It offers practical principles and an ethics-based framework that can guide courts and tribunals as they modernise. 

By centring public interest, fairness, and human oversight, and resourcing innovation across the whole sector, the legal system can make good on the promise of AI not just for efficiency, but for equity and access to justice. 

Read the full submission: