Ministry of Justice pilots AI to transcribe court hearings

The UK Ministry of Justice has initiated a study to evaluate the effectiveness of its in-house AI transcription tool, Justice Transcribe, in producing accurate court transcripts at a lower cost.
The pilot program, managed by HM Courts & Tribunals Service, will compare AI-generated transcripts with those produced by human transcribers to measure accuracy.
Victims’ groups have raised concerns about the high fees involved in obtaining courtroom transcripts, highlighting the financial burden on victims.
One notable case involved a woman who was quoted £30,000 for a full trial transcript.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC believes that AI could enhance transparency and access to justice.
The government plans to provide free transcripts of judges’ sentencing remarks to victims starting in spring 2027.