The Future of the Robot Judge in Iran’s Judicial System: From Imagination to Legal Reality

Abstract

The rapid growth of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, has brought concepts such as the "robot judge" from the realm of imagination into the domain of serious scientific and legal discourse. The idea of replacing or complementing human judges with robots—aimed at increasing the speed, accuracy, and impartiality of judicial proceedings—has attracted the attention of many legal systems around the world. Simultaneously, this transformation raises profound legal, ethical, and cultural challenges, especially in systems based on Islamic law and traditional judicial principles. In this context, examining the feasibility of implementing a robot judge within Iran’s judicial system—founded on the principles of fair trial, human dignity, and jurisprudential foundations—seems to be an inevitable necessity. The objective of this study is to analyze the legal, jurisprudential, and practical dimensions of incorporating a robot judge into the Iranian adjudicative process, while exploring the potential opportunities and threats posed by this technology. The central research question of the article is: "Given the legal framework, the requirements of fair trial, and the jurisprudential foundations present in Iran, to what extent is the realization of a robot judge feasible and justifiable?" The research method employed in this article is descriptive–analytical, utilizing library sources and a comparative review of the experiences of select countries in implementing artificial intelligence within their judicial systems. The findings of this study indicate that although AI-based tools used to assist judicial decision-making or predict judicial outcomes may be beneficial and justifiable in certain areas, the complete replacement of a human judge with a robot judge faces serious legal and jurisprudential barriers due to the necessity of exercising reason, fairness, ethical responsibility, and attention to human dignity. Under the current conditions of Iran’s judicial system, such replacement lacks full legal legitimacy.