AI use in Canadian courts surges as self-represented litigants turn to tools they can't afford lawyers to avoid

Canadian courts are seeing a rapid rise in AI use as self-represented litigants turn to artificial intelligence to navigate cases they cannot afford lawyers to handle.

Canadian courts logged 104 AI-related cases in 2025 and 142 so far in 2026, according to Tom Macintosh Zheng, co-founder of Courtready, a website offering tools and databases about AI use in law.

Over 80 per cent of people using AI in courts are self-represented, Zheng said. "They're using AI because they can't afford a lawyer," he said.

The trend creates a sharp divide. AI use opens court access for people who would otherwise go unrepresented. At the same time, it removes valuable work experience from law students who would traditionally handle junior litigation and early client interactions.

The shift has not yet triggered regulatory response from law societies or courts on a national scale. A Toronto lawyer was hit with record costs for AI-generated court documents in June 2026, raising questions about quality control and judicial scrutiny of AI output.