Justice in the Metaverse: Here's what the first virtual court hearing in Colombia looked like

Last week, a court in Colombia held a two-hour hearing in the Metaverse—the first time a court proceeding had ever taken place via virtual reality in Colombia.

The magistrate had previously instructed participants to configure their respective avatars—their virtual characters—and to secure Oculus Quest 2 eyeglasses prior to the hearing, which they did.

“Some people might think we look like caricatures in the Metaverse,” the magistrate said in a natural, but fast clip during the February 15th hearing, as her avatar, wearing a black dress with a white collar that simulates a judicial robe, made nonstop hand gestures. She and the other participants sat in a virtual hearing room decorated with sleek office furniture and a few plants, flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto a blue sky, mountains and a few elegant office buildings.

Proponents of using artificial intelligence and the Metaverse in judicial proceedings argue that Colombian legislation passed in 2022, known as Ley 2213, expressly establishes that cutting-edge information technology can be used in the country. However, some scholars expressed concern about the implications that proceedings taking place in virtual environments have for access to justice.

While viewers of the video on an official Colombian judicial system YouTube channel celebrated the hearing as “avant-garde,” some who tuned in via Colombian media outlets panned the proceeding as “clownish,” “irresponsible” and a waste of public resources.

The magistrate concluded the hearing by expressing hope that Colombia will invest in technology that can improve judicial proceedings.

You can watch a recording of the hearing here: