Influence of Technology on Judicial Work: A Systematic Review Protocol

Digital transformation in the judiciary has reshaped practices, routines, and societal expectations regarding justice. Although the international literature on judicial technology has grown, systematic syntheses that integrate empirical evidence on judges’ adaptation across different judicial systems remain scarce. This protocol outlines the plan for a systematic review of the literature aimed at synthesizing empirical evidence on the adoption and effects of digital technologies on judicial work, focusing on judges’ adaptation while considering different international judicial systems. The methodology will follow PRISMA-P guidelines, adopting a mixed-methods approach to integrate qualitative and quantitative evidence concerning judges’ adaptation to the use of digital technologies. The search strategy will be structured using the PICOC model, with queries conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, Springer Link, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, and Taylor & Francis databases, limited to peer-reviewed empirical articles with full-text access published between 2020 and 2025. Empirical studies (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods) investigating digital technologies in the judiciary and reporting results related to judges’ adaptation will be included, regardless of the legal system or language, provided they can be reliably translated and interpreted. Literature reviews, studies outside the judicial context, articles without full-text access, publications prior to 2020, duplicates, and works lacking methodological feasibility for safe analysis will be excluded. This systematic review is expected to generate robust evidence capable of informing institutional decision-making regarding the effects of digital technologies on judges’ professional practices.