The Michigan Court of Appeals recently issued an interesting published opinion about two siblings charged with truancy, their right to counsel, and whether they waived that right in the trial court. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Elizabeth Gleicher wrote the lead opinion. She also penned a separate concurring opinion. Judge Thomas Cameron also wrote a…
Category: AI
“Chatting” with ChatGPT about plain-language editing
I had some Q&A banter with ChatGPT because I wanted to get curious about how ChatGPT works and later share a glimpse of how it can help during plain-language editing. Our exchanges are captured in this video. A transcript is reprinted below. (If the video text seems too small when the video is viewed within…
Emoji “translator” needed? Ask Bard (Google), Bing (Microsoft), and ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Cher is known for heavy emoji Tweets. And emojis often find their way into court cases. Ever wonder what a series of emojis may mean? Perhaps someone texted you: 🐰🥚🐣💐🌷🌹🌸🌼🌺🌻🌷💐🌹🌸🌼🌺🌻 Or perhaps you are reviewing law-enforcement produced or civil discovery (or a record on appeal) and come across a message string like this: 🔫🔪🩸😈🤵💵⛓️💀 What…
Comparing and seeing ChatGPT as a valuable plain-language editor for legal writing
Imagine a one-page “notice to leave” taped to a house. Within the notice, the tenant is told: Your compliance with this NOTICE within _ days after its service will prevent any further eviction action against you. YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO LEAVE THE PREMISES. IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE, AN EVICTION ACTION MAY BE INITIATED…
Online court videos—why AI subtitles are not “good enough” and how they can be made better.
The public, litigants, media, and legal community have good reason (indeed, an obligation) to pay attention to what’s argued and decided in their state supreme courts. State courts are the only forum for enforcing a right under their own constitutions when the Supreme Court of the United States does not, reminds federal judge Jeffrey S….
Should an uncertified “transcript” generated by AI software and unknown online gig workers be presumed as “non-record evidence”?
The digital transcripts Against the backdrop of the continuing novel COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments of first impression. How much authority Michigan’s governor can exercise under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act or the Emergency Management Act is the focus of In re Certified Questions from the United…
Google (mis)Translate: What’s funny for Fallon fails those court users with limited English proficiency (LEP)
In Jimmy Fallon’s entertaining bit “Google Translate Songs,” The Tonight Show runs the English lyrics of well-known songs through Google Translate. The lyrics are translated into one of 100 languages and then re-translated back to English. Good-natured guests join The Tonight Show host in singing the now-jumbled English lyrics. On screen, the comedy bits are…
“Word enemas” or “were non-unanimous”: Is Otter.ai ready for the courtroom?
Otter.ai announced its collaboration with Zoom and the launch of an “Otter Live Video Meeting Notes” feature. You can be part of an online Zoom meeting and Otter.ai can generate real-time notes. With so many trial and appellate courts now using Zoom to live-stream their hearings during this historic pandemic, I wondered if this partnership…