INNOVATION & ADAPTION
CAN AI HELP RESOLVE FAMILY LAW DISPUTES? COMPUTER SAYS YES GABRIELLE CANNY, AMICA PROJECT CHIEF AND DIRECTOR, LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSION
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n the 21st year of the 21st century, many Australians don’t simply go online - they live online. They find love online, they work online, they shop online and socialise online. And when relationships break down, they want online help to resolve their family law disputes. In response to that community demand, SA is now at the forefront of a ground-breaking national service combining artificial intelligence and family law. This initiative exemplifies the transformative impact of technology on legal processes. However, this new digital service is not a magic bullet that will solve all the challenges facing Australia’s family law system and all the difficulties confronting separating couples. The service is called "amica" and it empowers separated couples to reach amicable agreements online regarding property and parenting issues. It is a mobile-first tool that uses artificial intelligence and other smart technology to help people resolve disputes themselves and record their agreements in plain language on a secure platform. It also helps them create applications for family court consent orders if they wish to. amica provides free information throughout its site about issues regarding separation; it uses conversational language and avoids legal jargon. amica complements existing family law services and resources, and guides
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people to specialist legal help in situations where it is required. Throughout the site, it encourages people to seek legal help if they require legal advice or further information. amica was created in SA by the Legal Services Commission on behalf of National Legal Aid with $3m in funding from the Commonwealth AttorneyGeneral’s Department. (National Legal Aid represents Australia’s eight legal aid commissions. There’s one in each state and territory and, collectively, these Commissions are the largest providers of family law assistance in Australia.) Legal Aid Commissions across the nation provided data and input to assist amica’s development. Its design was also guided by direct input from everyday Australians who have been through everyday family law disputes. Their insights were invaluable. They outlined what they wanted in an online service that’s designed to help ordinary Australians get through what is, for many people, one of the hardest times in their lives. This new service, located at amica.gov. au, responds to community demand for digital solutions in the family law sector. Each year there are more than 48,000 divorces and 105,000 applications to family courts regarding family breakdowns. The disputes that accompany them can last for years and cost many thousands of dollars. Independent social research reveals 78% of people with family law problems are
interested in using a platform of this sort to resolve their disputes. amica can be used by a wide crosssection of people dealing with family law issues. However, its dispute resolution feature - the online tool that helps people reach agreement - is best suited to separating couples who have a reasonably amicable relationship and a willingness to communicate and negotiate online. amica is not suitable for all situations and cannot replace the expert assistance provided by lawyers and the family courts. But it can empower many couples to better manage their separation and reduce the number of areas in which they disagree. By reducing pressures on courts and Legal Aid services, amica can help these bodies focus more closely on matters that cannot be solved online.
FEDERAL BACKING & NATIONAL RECOGNITION amica was created with Federal funding to cut the cost, stress and complexity of separation. The Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court were regularly consulted during its design. Commonwealth Attorney-General Christian Porter has encouraged amica’s development from concept to rollout, and he launched it on 30 June 2020. “I am very excited about the potential of this tool,” Mr Porter said.
