SWPS researchers demonstrate that digitizing all Polish law, not just parts, is essential for modern legal administration.
Digitization the Only Possible Direction
Today’s world is no longer the world of the Journal of Laws bought at a newsstand. Over 156,000 legal acts available in ISAP are essentially a huge collection of data. No modern institution manages information by storing it exclusively in document form, explains Dr. Wojtkiewicz.
The essence of digitization lies in moving law from the document level to the level of interoperable data systems – only then can the normative content be meaningfully organized, she points out.
Language Diversity Challenges
A significant problem in creating a coherent legal corpus is the diversity of language used by the legislator. Different provisions may refer to “limited liability company,” “supervised entity,” or “taxpayer” when referring to similar or identical entities, Dr. Wojtkiewicz notes.
However, modern technologies allow for identifying semantically similar legal constructions in hundreds of thousands of pages of legal acts.
Law for Citizens, Not Lawyers
Based on this research, it’s possible to create a system where users ask about a specific factual situation and receive indications of applicable legal norms. This provides technical assistance in matching life situations to legal provisions before interpretation or legal advice is needed.
This differs from chatbots or legal information systems, which either generate secondary content or are designed for professional legal users, explains the DGP interlocutor.
“Will this replace a lawyer? Of course not. But it significantly increases the transparency and accessibility of law for citizens,” concludes Dr. Wojtkiewicz.
The Path Forward
According to SWPS researchers, digital reconstruction of legal provisions is the only way to create modern legislation that increases efficiency of legal processes and reduces costs for both administration and citizens.
This postulate addresses the broader problem of insufficient digitization in court proceedings and public administration. The State Digitization Strategy, with a 2035 horizon, is still in consultations.
