AI-DRIVEN JUDICIAL DECISION-MAKING: EXAMINING THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ALGORITHMIC TRANSPARENCY IN ENHANCING JUDICIAL LEGITIMACY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJLGC.1145039Keywords:
AI-Driven Judicial Decision-Making, Algorithmic Transparency, Artificial Intelligence in Law, Judicial Legitimacy, Procedural JusticeAbstract
The fast rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) in judicial systems can improve efficiency, consistency and access to justice. But the rising adoption of AI-enabled judicial processes has also raised major concerns about algorithmic bias, opacity, accountability and procedural fairness that could jeopardise public trust and the legitimacy of judicial institutions. Although the scholarly attention to AI in the legal field has recently been increasing, there has been little research on the conceptual mechanism through which AI-based judicial decision-making influences judicial legitimacy. Accordingly, this study aims to suggest algorithmic transparency as a conceptual mediator to develop a conceptual model of the association between judicial legitimacy and AI-based judicial decision-making. This research study is based on the peer-reviewed publications available in the Scopus database utilising the qualitative narrative literature review method. We used a systematic search strategy to identify relevant literature. The literature was analysed using thematic analysis to identify emerging themes, theoretical perspectives and research gaps concerning AI, algorithmic transparency and judicial legitimacy. The findings suggest that AI-aided judicial decision-making can improve judicial efficiency, consistency and decision quality. But such benefits will only contribute to judicial legitimacy if the artificial intelligence systems are transparent, explainable, accountable and have meaningful oversight by humans. The review further proposes that algorithmic transparency could be a means for enhancing procedural fairness, accountability, algorithmic bias concerns, and public trust in AI-assisted judicial decisions. Theoretically, this study contributes to the AI governance literature by combining the Procedural Justice Theory and contemporary AI governance literature to better understand the mediating role of algorithmic transparency. Practical implications The proposed framework can serve as guidance to policy makers, judicial administrators and AI developers, in designing transparent, accountable and ethically governed artificial intelligence systems that preserve judicial legitimacy, while facilitating the responsible digital transformation of modern judicial institutions.
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