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Algorithms, Efficiency and the Two Faces of Courts – A Case Study of the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (STJ)

  • Luisa Hedler

    Luisa Hedler (LLM) is a PhD fellow in the Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy at Copenhagen Business School. Her current research topics include sociology of law, science and technology studies (STS), international human rights law and criminology. Relevant publications: Transformation af retten gennem algoritmer. Effektivitet og tid, in: Niels Åkerstrøm Andersen et al. (eds.), Transformationens Politik. Copenhagen (upcoming); (together with Maj Gratsen): Law’s Lolita Paradox: Translating ‘Childhood’ In Statutory Rape Jurisprudence. Australian Feminist Law Journal 2022; (together with Ana Carolina Paranhos) Unaccompanied migrant children in the American continent: the legal basis of the Interamerican Court of Human Rights and cases concerning Brazil and the USA, in: George Galindo (ed.) Migrações, deslocamentos e Direitos Humanos. Brasília, 2015.

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Published/Copyright: December 9, 2022
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Abstract

The implementation of algorithms in Courts promises to bring an increase in efficiency to a legal system which is seen as slow and overburdened, but both the literature and governments are aware that there are potential risks of unwanted consequences to the functioning of the legal system. This paper is a case study of how the Brazilian Superior Tribunal of Justice (STJ) justifies the introduction of algorithms into their case management operations, articulating different notions of efficiency as they do so. Analyzing accounts in multiple sources, it is observed how the STJ self-describes these multiple roles, both as part of the legal system and its role as an organization which is part of the public administration – especially when trying to justify these changes to other government agencies, the legal community and society in general. The article shows that the STJ emphasizes its role in the legal system as an initial justification in official accounts, but largely emphasizes managerial gains internally, avoiding engaging with potential risks by preserving the moment of decision-making as exclusive of the judge.

About the author

Luisa Hedler

Luisa Hedler (LLM) is a PhD fellow in the Department of Management, Politics and Philosophy at Copenhagen Business School. Her current research topics include sociology of law, science and technology studies (STS), international human rights law and criminology. Relevant publications: Transformation af retten gennem algoritmer. Effektivitet og tid, in: Niels Åkerstrøm Andersen et al. (eds.), Transformationens Politik. Copenhagen (upcoming); (together with Maj Gratsen): Law’s Lolita Paradox: Translating ‘Childhood’ In Statutory Rape Jurisprudence. Australian Feminist Law Journal 2022; (together with Ana Carolina Paranhos) Unaccompanied migrant children in the American continent: the legal basis of the Interamerican Court of Human Rights and cases concerning Brazil and the USA, in: George Galindo (ed.) Migrações, deslocamentos e Direitos Humanos. Brasília, 2015.

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Published Online: 2022-12-09
Published in Print: 2022-12-07

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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