AI Speaks Up in Court
DoNotPay, the world’s first “AI lawyer”, will soon argue a case in traffic court. While AI in the legal field is not new, DoNotPay has a chatbot interface to assist users with a wide range of legal tasks, including contesting parking tickets and filing for compensation for delayed flights. It will be used in traffic court in February 2023 and no one is planning to tell the judge.
16,000,000 and Counting

DoNotPay claims to have helped users contest over 16 million parking tickets. They also assist with other legal issues such as getting refunds for cancelled flights, help in completing legal documents such as refugee applications, as well as advice on various topics.
They operate on a short-term subscription basis.
Milestone Case
Assisting someone in traffic court is a significant milestone for DoNotPay and the field of AI law. The chatbot will be “arguing” a case on behalf of a client who was issued a speeding ticket. The case will be heard in a US traffic court in an undisclosed location, with the details to be released after the court date.
How it Works
The defendant will wear an earbud in court and has been told to say only what the bot instructs him to. The judge will not be informed of the fact that the chatbot will be used for this case by the defendant, though it may become apparent very quickly as the defendant repeats words from the chatbot, stops talking to listen, then says more words.
DoNotPay has said that it will be responsible for presenting evidence, making arguments, and cross- examining witnesses.
DoNotPay committed to pay any fines and costs related to the lawsuit, should the judge decide against the defendant.
This may also lead to another “practicing law without a licence” lawsuit.
$50M Lawsuit
DoNotPay has already been the subject of a $50 Million Dollar lawsuit as a group of lawyers in Northern California alleged that DoNotPay was engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in providing legal advice and representation to individuals without the proper licensing and qualifications.
The court ruled in favor of DoNotPay, stating that the chatbot was not engaged in the unauthorized practice of law as it was not providing legal representation to individuals.
The court also noted that the chatbot was intended to assist users with the process of resolving legal issues, and was not intended to replace the need for a human lawyer.
AI in Strategic Planning
Specialty AI applications providing advice in the areas of:
- law, such as lease contracts
- in HR, such as building a case for dismissal with cause
- completing construction permit applications
will become more available and more useful over time.
There are likely to be unexpected obstacles as well, as the “practicing without a licence” lawsuits with DoNotPay. If an AI app becomes an entrenched part of your work process and a lawsuit requires that you stop using it, you need to include a Plan B.
It’s important for AI to become a topic of conversation for IT as well as senior management and for AI to be addressed in Strategic Plans.
If you’d like to explore these ideas further or comment on this article, reach me at roban.
This article was published in the
January 2023
edition of The TMC Advisor
- ISSN 2369-663X Volume:10 Issue:1
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