Will AI replace Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers?

AI can do 68% of the work Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 3 of their 14 tasks, while 7 more are ready but barely used so far. 4 still need a person.

AI is already doing this3 · 39% of time

People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.

  • Prepare written opinions and decisions.Mostly automated21% of time
  • Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.Mostly automated10% of time
  • Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.Mostly automated8% of time

AI could do this next7 · 29% of time

AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.

  • Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.13% of time
  • Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions.5% of time
  • Confer with individuals or organizations involved in cases to obtain relevant information.4% of time
  • Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.2% of time
  • Schedule hearings.2% of time
  • Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them.1% of time
  • Conduct studies of appeals procedures in field agencies to ensure adherence to legal requirements and to facilitate determination of cases.1% of time

Still needs a person4 · 32% of time

No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.

  • Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.19% of time
  • Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.7% of time
  • Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.5% of time
  • Issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings.1% of time

Your week is not the average

Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.

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What this means

AI can do most of this work faster, but a real part of the job still needs a person. People in this job already use it heavily. The people who learn which tasks to hand off will pull ahead.

What to do next

  • Do the 3 tasks AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
  • Get ahead on the 7 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
  • Build on the 4 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators80%Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates61%Lawyers80%Judicial Law Clerks96%Paralegals and Legal Assistants68%Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers87%

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