AI in the Courtroom
Colombia and the Netherlands as early case studies of judicial use of ChatGPT
The use of generative artificial intelligence in judicial reasoning has moved from theoretical debate to documented judicial practice. Two of the earliest and most frequently cited cases, one in Colombia and one in the Netherlands, illustrate how courts are beginning to engage with AI tools, while simultaneously raising important questions about transparency, reasoning, and judicial responsibility.
"The integration of AI into courtrooms has shifted the boundaries of legal research, calling for a rigorous audit of transparency, responsibility, and the parameters of machine-assisted justice."
1. Colombia: The Cartagena Labor Court
First Labor Court of Cartagena (Juzgado primero laboral del circuito de Cartagena) — Decided: 30 January 2023
On 30 January 2023, presided over by Judge J. G, the court issued a landmark decision in a tutela case involving the protection of the fundamental rights of a minor diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. What makes this case particularly significant is that the judge explicitly acknowledged the use of ChatGPT during the reasoning process, even including the precise prompts posed to the AI system and the verbatim outputs generated within the written ruling.
Scope of AI Supporting Assistance:
- 1 Exemptions for Minors: Analyzing the legal treatment of healthcare co-payments/exemptions for minors with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
- 2 Procedural Actions: Clarifying the operational boundaries of constitutional tutela actions within Colombian jurisprudence.
- 3 Jurisprudential Guidance: Fetching broad references to existing supreme court precedents on constitutional healthcare access.
Importantly, the court grounded its final decision in Colombian constitutional jurisprudence, including Sentencia T-674/2016, and emphasized that AI did not replace judicial reasoning but served as a supplementary, clarifying tool. Academic analysis describes this case as a landmark “pilot study” on the integration of generative AI into formal judicial decision-making (Perona & de la Rosa, 2025).
2. The Netherlands: District Court of Gelderland
District Court of Gelderland — Decided: 7 June 2024 (ECLI:NL:RBGEL:2024:3636)
A second key case emerged in the Netherlands, presenting a contrasting approach to generative tools. The case concerned a civil dispute between neighbors regarding the loss of solar panel efficiency caused by construction on an adjacent property. In calculating fair civil damages, the Dutch court explicitly referenced ChatGPT as one of the sources used for estimation purposes.
Quantification of Losses using ChatGPT:
Estimated the average lifespan of solar panels (25–30 years, set by court at 27.5 years).
Aided in tracking the average price of electricity per kWh for compensation calculations.
Calculated overall compound economic loss due to shaded, reduced output.
Unlike the Colombian case, however, the Dutch judgment did not specify which version of ChatGPT was used, what prompts were entered, or the methodological safeguards applied in verifying the accuracy of the AI-generated outputs. This omission has led to rigorous scholarly and professional discussions regarding transparency, reproducibility of judicial reasoning, and the evidentiary status of AI-generated information in contemporary civil decisions.
A Paradigm Shift in Legal Reasonings
These parallel developments highlight two distinct styles of judicial engagement with AI. While Colombia leaned toward absolute transparency by making the AI transcripts part of the official judicial record, the Dutch approach used AI as an informal, unverified analytical calculator. Together, they demonstrate that generative tools are already entering courtrooms to answer substantive legal and quantitative questions.
Academic References
- Perona, R., & de la Rosa, Y. C. (2025). Unveiling AI in the courtroom: exploring ChatGPT’s impact on judicial decision-making through a pilot Colombian case study. AI & Society, 40, 2533-2540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-024-01943-x
- District Court of Gelderland, 7 June 2024, ECLI:NL:RBGEL:2024:3636.