#legalsystem

On April 29, 2024, IIMT College of Law in Greater Noida organized a "Parliamentary Debate on Capital Punishment." The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, refers to the execution of a convicted criminal as ordered by a court of law. It is imperative to distinguish capital punishment from illegal executions that are carried out without proper legal procedures.

Striving for Equality and Justice

In a just and democratic society, the rule of law stands as the cornerstone of fairness, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their position or power, is subject to the same legal standards. However, recent concerns about disparities in the application of the law have sparked discussions on the need to address any flaws in the system. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of the rule of law and its impact on societal trust, emphasizing the importance of upholding equality and justice for all.

The Rule of Law: An Unwavering Principle

The rule of law is not a mere catchphrase; it is a fundamental principle that underpins the functioning of democratic societies. At its core, the rule of law dictates that the law should be applied uniformly and consistently, without discrimination or favoritism. It ensures that no one, regardless of their status or influence, is above the law, and everyone is held accountable for their actions.

Challenges to the Rule of Law

While the rule of law is a guiding principle, its application can sometimes be influenced by power dynamics, political considerations, or disparities in resources. Such challenges can lead to perceptions that there are "two standards of law"—one for the powerful and privileged and another for the marginalized and less fortunate. When this happens, the very essence of justice is compromised.

The Erosion of Public Trust

When the rule of law appears to be inconsistent or biased, it erodes public trust in the legal system and institutions. Citizens lose faith in their ability to seek justice, and a sense of injustice permeates the collective conscience. This loss of trust can have far-reaching consequences, including decreased civic engagement and an increase in corruption and social unrest.

Addressing Flaws and Ensuring Equality

To maintain the integrity of the rule of law, it is crucial to identify and address any flaws in its application. This involves empowering an independent judiciary that can impartially interpret and enforce laws. Additionally, transparency in legal proceedings is essential to building trust and instilling confidence in the fairness of the system.

Promoting Access to Justice

A key aspect of upholding the rule of law is ensuring that all individuals have equal access to justice. Legal assistance and representation should not be limited to those with resources; rather, it should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic background. Equal access to justice enhances the legitimacy of the legal system and safeguards human rights.

Individual Commitment to Justice

Upholding the rule of law requires the commitment of each citizen to stand for justice and fairness. Civic engagement, public awareness, and holding public officials accountable are vital in safeguarding the principles of the rule of law. By advocating for a just and equitable society, individuals can collectively influence positive change.

Pass a bill to make Trump’s trial viewable by ALL Americans!

1,333 so far! Help us get to 2,000 signers!

I understand that the Senate just passed a bill, S. 3250, to permit victims of crimes associated with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 to access court proceedings in the criminal case against the perpetrators. This new law will mean that affected people who are too old or infirm to travel to Washington, D.C., or those who are too far away to readily make the trip will still be able to observe court proceedings. Prosecutors at the Justice Department supported the move because they thought it was important for people affected by the crime to see justice in action. They are correct. Bearing this precedent in mind, I would like Congress to swiftly pass a similar bill for Trump’s prosecution for interference in the 2020 election. This case, United States v. Donald J. Trump, is of even more singular importance than the Lockerbie case. If such access can be offered for those victims it can be offered to the American people for a trial in which they have a distinct and unparalleled interest. This is one of the most important court cases this country will ever see. It is in the best interests of every US citizen to provide full access to it. There are, furthermore, no compelling reasons not to do so. Please introduce and/or support such a bill right away. People will be able to learn more about the arguments being made and it is more difficult to pass off disinformation about a proceeding that the public has full access to. Thanks.

▶ Created on January 22 by Jess Craven

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In a small, dimly lit interrogation room, Sarah Buzzard sat across from two seasoned detectives, her face a mask of tension and fear. The murder of Mark Reynolds had shocked the community, and now, Sarah found herself at the heart of the investigation, facing questions that could determine her fate.See more...

When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.

One of the blogs I read last week, on artificial intelligence (AI) and various government agencies, got me thinking about AI and the implications of it regarding the legal process in the US. It’s clear that through technology like face recognition and fingerprint recreation, AI can help local police and FBI figure out the identities of criminals and their victims. However, will such evidence hold up in court? What if the AI technology incorrectly recreates a fingerprint found at a crime scene and provides so-called definite proof that a certain person was there, when in fact, that person was nowhere near the crime scene? Would the legal system then be compromised? Or would the trustworthiness of AI be compromised? Then to think about the people involved in the legal process; would lawyers or judges be affected? These were the questions that came up when I was reading the other blog.

First of all, it’s important to remember that AI, robots, and machines are not 100% correct, or not correct !00% of the time. User error is quite likely because this technology is still relatively new. Aside from user error, the machine itself could malfunction. Because we don’t fully understand the technology, we may not even realize that it is actually not working properly. Someone in class last time mentioned that we accept AI as working perfectly, while it’s far from it. That was a really important point that is worth remembering when considering AI and the law.

For example, let’s say a crime occurs and investigators find bloody partially damaged fingerprints at the scene. They employ AI to reconstruct the fingerprint and find a match – probably someone with a record from which the machine could pull information. This person is arrested, tried, and maybe even convicted. Now let’s suppose that this person is actually innocent, and the fingerprint found at the scene of the crime was actually someone else’s, and the machine that reconstructed it made a mistake. Would we ever rely on something like this? Knowing that our legal system is based on the principle that it’s better to let one hundred guilty people go free than to convict one innocent person, can we really make the decision to rely on artificial intelligence?

Second, the question then arises as to whether we can trust machines to do the jobs that people have been doing so far. In crime scene investigation leading up to a court case, it’s likely that AI could help with lab work. For instance, the blood, fingerprints, and other clues and evidence collected at a crime scene could – and probably should – be analyzed by machines. Part of that is already done using specific crime scene investigation technology, but it could probably be done much quicker with the help of AI. Rather than scour databases for matches, an AI machine could find a match faster and more efficiently.

Now back to the legal system. What about the lawyers and judges? I honestly doubt that we would ever be able to replace these humans with machines. Yes, I think that robots and machines could analyze witness’ responses and find discrepancies in their accounts much quicker than a human could, I nevertheless think that what lawyers do is so intrinsically human, that a machine could never fully replace them. It might be possible for machines to help lawyers in court, specifically by analyzing answers and finding inconsistencies. I wonder how this would hold up in court. Again, what if the machine makes a mistake and the witness on the stand is telling the truth, but the machine determines there is a lie? That would certainly be quite problematic and would put the entire justice system at risk.

Finally, what is the implication of the use of AI on more serious crimes, such as terrorism? Could AI keep track of everyone in the country and be programmed to determine suspicious behavior? We would have to define what suspicious means to the machine. With deep learning, the machine could eventually figure out suspicious behavior on its own. Once again, this is assuming that the machine is always correct, doesn’t have any bugs, and isn’t malfunctioning. Even if it is not, it might give intelligence agencies clues as to who might be doing something that is worth investigating. Take for example mass shootings. AI could be used to flag gun purchases made by people with a certain history, such as mental illness.

I think that if we can ensure that AI, robots, and machines always function correctly, we could save countless lives, improve detective processes, and make the legal system much more efficient.