California Courts Deploy AI and Cybersecurity Tools to Expand Access to Justice
Court leaders from across California gathered in San Francisco on March 11 to discuss how artificial intelligence and stronger security measures can improve operations and serve the public more effectively. The statewide technology summit, hosted by the Judicial Council, brought hundreds of court professionals together to share practices around new tools.
AI Applications in Court Work
Judges and court administrators from San Diego, Orange, and Monterey counties led sessions on practical uses of AI. Topics included translation assistance and document workflows, alongside discussions about protecting user data.
Judge Michael S. Groch of San Diego Superior Court and Brett Howard of Orange Superior Court demonstrated Thomson Reuters CoCounsel, a tool designed to improve judicial workflow. They outlined which court tasks are safe to handle with current generative AI and large language models, and which require human review.
California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero told attendees that courts must align technology with judicial goals. "Technology serves as a bridge to justice," she said, emphasizing collaboration as courts adopt new systems.
Kevin Roose, technology columnist for The New York Times, spoke about the acceleration of AI tools and what may come after artificial general intelligence, including questions about AI governance and how courts will manage multiple AI systems working simultaneously.
Cybersecurity Becomes Priority
A parallel set of sessions focused on court security. Speakers from Orange, Mono, and Riverside counties, along with the Fifth Appellate District, stressed preparation and consistent execution as core to protecting court users.
Lester Perpall, executive officer of Mono Superior Court, warned that security failures typically stem from poor follow-through, not lack of care. "Failures don't happen because we don't care," he said. "Most failures happen because we confuse appearance with execution."
Adam Dodge, an attorney and founder of EndTAB (End Technology-Enabled Abuse), demonstrated how AI deepfakes are being used to commit fraud at scale. He cautioned that sophisticated tools once available only to specialists are now accessible to anyone.
Los Angeles Court Wins Innovation Award
The Los Angeles Superior Court received the 2026 Justice Chin Technology Innovation Award for its CourtHelp program, an AI-powered chatbot that helps users navigate the court's website.
Retired California Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin presented the award, which recognizes technology projects that expand access to justice. The Los Angeles court is only the second recipient since the award was created in 2023.
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