Disconnections in Legal Tech Design: An Infrastructural Problem?

Abstract

This article explores the design of a new IT system within the Finnish court system, adopting a biographical approach as its inspiration. Thematically, it relates to debates on court digitalisation, involving complex technical, legal and social dimensions. The article’s contribution is empirical and its theoretical framework draws from science and technology studies (STS) and infrastructure studies. By tracing the choices, technologies and participants involved in the AIPA Data Bank project, the article contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of digital transformation in legal contexts. I distinguish between the unintended consequences of technology use and the disconnections in the design that produce them. Disconnections in design occur in interactions and are related to the visions and goals of the project and the relationship between legacy systems and the new system. They manifest in legal practices such as courtroom sessions. The article suggests that IT systems design should be understood as an infrastructural issue, including the social aspects of legal work, to acknowledge the constitutive role of legal technology in human interaction.