Court case held in the metaverse
Participants use VR headsets and interact via avatars
A Colombian court case was recently heard in the metaverse with participants using virtual reality headsets and interacting via avatars.
Magistrate María Victoria Quiñones Triana of the Administrative Court of Magdalena granted the hearing which was heard using Meta’s Horizon Workrooms on Wednesday, and live-streamed on YouTube (below).
The hearing was conducted in Spanish, with the Colombian magistrate reportedly instructing participants to secure Oculus Quest 2 eyeglasses and configure their avatars in advance. However, those without access to VR headsets are understood to have had the option to take part via a standard video call.
The magistrate instructed participants to enter a verification code to prove their identities and ordered regular breaks during the two and half hours proceedings.
She is also said to have consulted the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT on whether to allow the case to be held in the virtual setting, asking it questions such as: ‘What is an avatar?’
Courts around the world seem to be pushing the boundaries of new technologies. In September, Siming District Court in Xiamen, China reportedly heard two cases in the metaverse.
Meanwhile, Colombia was in the news again this month after a judge, who presides over the First Circuit Court in Cartagena, said he used ChatGPT to assist in his legal decision. The South American country passed legislation last year enabling the use of emerging technologies in judicial proceedings.
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15 Comments
Santa
And you wonder why they have such a big snow problem…
Michael
This comment says a lot a bad you.
Don’t say anything If you are not going to say anything constructive.
Michael’s Mummy
Bad baby!
Bad baby!
Alex
I wonder if Pepsi will sponsor their next hearing.
Meta Perverse
No No No. Its all gone too far now.
Brave New World
It was intended to go this far and further. Some of us said this was going to happen in early 2020. Lockdowns were initiated to introduce the concept of a remote legal existence, and those who lapped up working from home and moaning, have allowed the conditions for it to flourish to this dystopian meta verse stage. It is coming to the English courts within 5 years. Someone at the MoJ’s reform programme told me this last year when I saw international law firms buying up space in the shitaverse. Good luck to those entering the dystopian profession.
Brave New World
Hilarious how one can dislike their own comment many times, but not like it. Maybe LC is in on the dystopian legal future and funded by Zuckerberg!
Alan
Why do young people so detest seeing other humans in the flesh? If these tech developers spent half as much energy on transport solutions as they did on nonsense like this, the world would be a better place.
Bobbins
Not just young. Colleagues I sit with on Tribunals also prefer remote because they’re middle aged, want to walk the dog and baby sit grandkids rather than be amongst colleague’s. It’s a sad world being created and I for one am glad there are options in terms of exiting the profession.
ZuckerBot
What even is the difference between a hearing in the “Metaverse” and Zoom court? Sounds like marketing speak.
Charalambous
Difference?
1. You aren’t wearing a virtual headset with a screen infront of your pupils and walking around like a prat in your home with them on.
2. You aren’t an avatar but a human being on Zoom, so you cannot hide behind a cartoon outfit.
As for marketing speak – all of this was made possible by the brainwashed wFH brigade. Goodbye reality. Welcome dystopian profession. It certainly wont hold the same level of kudos it once had, not the bar certainly.
Top Journalism Spotter
“The hearing was conducted in Spanish”
In Columbia?! I was labouring under the misapprehension that it was in Swahili. Thanks LC!
Unimpressed
If you’re going to be snide at least spell the country’s name correctly.
Anon
Comical
Young people
Oh, something I don’t like happened half way around the world. Guess I don’t like “young people” again now
Comments are closed.