EP.13 — Judgment in Eight Seconds
London | April 29, 2045
The verdict arrived before the defendant finished taking a seat. At exactly 9:00:08 a.m., the National AI Judiciary announced its decision. Eight seconds had passed since the digital hearing officially began. Cameras confirmed both identities. Evidence files were synchronized. The AI completed its legal analysis and issued a binding judgment.
The Ministry of Justice called it a new milestone in judicial efficiency. Officials said standard civil disputes now take less than ten seconds on average, cutting legal costs by more than ninety percent and nearly eliminating routine courtroom delays.
Supporters argue that speed itself has become a form of justice. Businesses recover faster from disputes. Families avoid prolonged stress. Victims receive compensation almost immediately, while public resources are reserved for the most complex cases.
Yet not everyone welcomes the new standard. Defense attorneys have begun timing hearings with stopwatches. Some say they cannot finish one opening sentence before the ruling appears.
The judiciary insists that every argument has already been reviewed before the session begins. The courtroom, officials explain, now exists mainly to publish the conclusion, not to discover the truth.
Outside the courthouse, a university student stared at the notification on his phone. “I spent three years preparing this case,” he said quietly. “It took the court eight seconds to decide it.”
For the first time, citizens are asking whether justice can become so efficient that it no longer feels like justice at all.
— Joonghwa Byeon
