New Jersey Public Defender's Office Launches AI Platform to Enhance Access to Justice
The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (NJOPD) has developed and launched an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to assist its public defenders. This initiative aims to address the access-to-justice gap by providing public defenders with enhanced resources. The NJOPD partnered with the New Jersey Innovation Authority and Princeton University to create a customized AI tool. This tool initially enables public defenders to search existing briefs and other legal materials using natural language, granting them access to a statewide database of past efforts, experiences, and expertise. The NJOPD, which is a statewide office comprising 1,300 attorneys across 66 offices and handles over 100,000 cases annually, recognized the need for AI to support its overworked and under-resourced staff, who often deal with complex cases ranging from criminal to juvenile and mental health matters.
