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March 17, 2007
Court Holds Software Was Practicing Law Without a License
A web-based "expert system" that helped users prepare bankruptcy filings for a fee made too many decisions to be considered a clerical tool, an appeals court said, ruling that the software was effectively practicing law without a license. Maybe the software app should take (a) some online law school classes and/or (b) the bar exam.
Wired has the story and here's the 9th Circuit opinion (pdf). Hat tip to Lee Peoples. [JH]
March 17, 2007 in Court Opinions, Information Technology | Permalink
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» smart bankruptcy software was practicing law: 9th Circ. from shlep: the Self-Help Law ExPress
Over the weekend, Law Librarian Blog reported that a sophisticated, web-based bankruptcy software program was determined by the Ninth Circuit appellate court to be practicing law without a license because it made too many decisi... [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 19, 2007 7:33:25 PM
Comments
Fascinating issue. There's some 1991 or so law review article on AI And law, and whether software could effectively practice law...i think in North Carolina LR.
Posted by: Frank | Mar 21, 2007 5:05:16 PM
I still cannot see the difference between a straight database and AI searching. It seems to me that the judgement violates the First Amendment.
As far for Bar Examinations, they would in fact be quite easy for a lay person ,backed up be a database, to pass. If there is any examination taken it should be a Spanish exam. This would see whether of nott it was appeciating the common sense world.
Translate -
The boat goes through a lock.
The season of spring.
Computer dating found me a match.
So far not very good. El barco pasa por una cerradura. La estacion de resorte.
?Quieres dormir con un fosforo?
Look at my blog.
Posted by: Ian Parker | Mar 19, 2007 8:37:07 AM
