AI to be used to produce court transcripts

Costly court transcript fees have meant that victims have had to fork out hundreds – and in some cases thousands of pounds – to access exactly what was said in court to help provide answers and closure.

The findings have the potential to significantly reduce these fees and mark another step towards greater transparency – breaking down barriers and making criminal court transcripts far easier to obtain for those who need them most.

The measures are part of this government’s work to improve the justice system we inherited through investment, reform and modernisation to deliver swifter and fairer justice for victims.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC, said: “Victims show immense courage in coming to court, delivering their testimonies and looking their perpetrators in the eye. That’s why it is only right they process what happened in their case in their own time and on their own terms.

“By deploying AI in the courtroom, we can boost transparency and access to justice, building a modernised system that victims can rely on.

For victims, facing a perpetrator in court can be deeply distressing. Access to transcripts can provide vital clarity and reassurance, letting them understand what happened during their case in their own time.”

Currently, transcripts of Crown Court proceedings are produced by contracted providers. The new study will explore how the Ministry of Justice’s in-house AI, Justice Transcribe, could meet required accuracy standards while reducing transcription time and costs.

The findings will inform nationwide plans to upgrade, modernise and open up the court system and increase access to justice in the digital age.

The government recently announced that victims whose cases are going through the Crown Court will have access to free transcripts of judges’ sentencing remarks, upon request, from Spring 2027, as part of a major boost to deliver swifter access to justice.

This announcement comes as both the Victims and Courts Bill and Courts and Tribunals Bill progress through parliament and the government delivers on its plan to restore the justice system.

Charlotte Schreurs, survivor and founder of the Open Justice For All campaign said: “Having long called for transcripts to be made easily and freely accessible for victims through my Open Justice For All campaign – I welcome AI being deployed in court rooms to make this happen. Court transcripts are imperative for victims in the healing process – to understand what was said and to be able to move on, but it also brings accountability and transparency of the courts.”

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE said: “I have long supported the Open Justice for All campaign in calling for better access to court transcripts, and the introduction of the AI court transcript pilot is a welcome step in that direction.

“Access to transcripts is vital for victims and families, helping them understand what happened in court, process proceedings in their own time and support their recovery, while also strengthening transparency and accountability across the justice system.

“I now urge the Government to ensure that sentencing decisions and justice outcomes are always explained clearly and in a way that is meaningful for victims and families at the point of sentencing.”

Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics commented: “Courtroom transcription is a uniquely complex challenge, from overlapping dialogue and multiple speakers impacting the quality of data output. Accuracy is absolutely critical in criminal proceedings and even minor errors can have serious consequences and AI systems must be treated as a high-stakes infrastructure rather than a technology upgrade.

“Governance will ultimately determine whether this succeeds and human oversight and clear correction mechanisms are key to maintain trust in AI generation. Data protection, data quality and security must also be built in from the outset. If these safeguards are effective, the benefits will be significant to victims.”