New rules, AI help courts resolve cases
COURTS are solving cases faster thanks to the new rules and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Supreme Court Administrator Raul Villanueva said Wednesday. In the hearing of the proposed 2025 budget of the judiciary, Villanueva said one of the changes is the adoption of the judicial affidavit rule, which included direct testimonies. "Only a few questions will be asked during the trial, and cross-examination will follow, changes in rules, for example, on civil procedure, and timelines in the submission of pleadings. It is necessary to include all evidence in filing civil cases — including judicial affidavits," Villanueva told the Senate Committee of Finance, chaired by Sen. Grace Poe. "The drug cases have also become the subject of plea bargaining. Courts are also using AI for research and in making draft decisions," he added. Villanueva said the Supreme Court was developing something to transcribe testimonies. "Developing voice to text transcription. While testimony is being given, it's being recorded and transcribed. Hopefully, we can develop AI that can translate testimonies in dialect, for example, Ilokano, to English," he added. Poe, however, warned that someone should check AI's work, to which Associate Justice Ramon Hernando agreed. "We are not totally dependent on AI because, as the good senator has said, there are also some equities. Some decisions should not be left to AI. The court is not only a court of law but also a court of equity. There's some humanity involved in the disposition of cases," Hernando said. "In previous bar exams, there were some insinuations that AI would correct booklets. False. I'm the bar chair for 2024; there were some questions referred to AI. I reviewed it. They're not exactly correct. So, the human mind is still better," he said. Poe assured the courts that the Senate supports what needs to be done to make the judiciary's work more accessible and more efficient. The proposed budget of the Judiciary for next year under the National Expenditure Program amounts to P63.57 billion.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
COURTS are solving cases faster thanks to the new rules and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Supreme Court Administrator Raul Villanueva said Wednesday.
In the hearing of the proposed 2025 budget of the judiciary, Villanueva said one of the changes is the adoption of the judicial affidavit rule, which included direct testimonies.
"Only a few questions will be asked during the trial, and cross-examination will follow, changes in rules, for example, on civil procedure, and timelines in the submission of pleadings. It is necessary to include all evidence in filing civil cases — including judicial affidavits," Villanueva told the Senate Committee of Finance, chaired by Sen. Grace Poe.
"The drug cases have also become the subject of plea bargaining. Courts are also using AI for research and in making draft decisions," he added.
Villanueva said the Supreme Court was developing something to transcribe testimonies.
"Developing voice to text transcription. While testimony is being given, it's being recorded and transcribed. Hopefully, we can develop AI that can translate testimonies in dialect, for example, Ilokano, to English," he added.
Poe, however, warned that someone should check AI's work, to which Associate Justice Ramon Hernando agreed.
"We are not totally dependent on AI because, as the good senator has said, there are also some equities. Some decisions should not be left to AI. The court is not only a court of law but also a court of equity. There's some humanity involved in the disposition of cases," Hernando said.
"In previous bar exams, there were some insinuations that AI would correct booklets. False. I'm the bar chair for 2024; there were some questions referred to AI. I reviewed it. They're not exactly correct. So, the human mind is still better," he said.
Poe assured the courts that the Senate supports what needs to be done to make the judiciary's work more accessible and more efficient.
The proposed budget of the Judiciary for next year under the National Expenditure Program amounts to P63.57 billion.
