2023
Artificial Intelligence - “What Hath God Wrought”
Though he’s a self-proclaimed fan of artificial intelligence and excited about its capabilities, Judge Dixon warns that we must be aware of every AI product’s limitations and frailties.
My “Hallucinating” Experience with ChatGPT
Judge Dixon undertook an experimental trial run with ChatGPT and ended up with what he calls a “hallucinating” experience. He concludes that this AI-powered software, like many technology-assisted tools available to judges and lawyers, should be used wisely and cautiously.
The Metaverse
Judge Dixon defines some of the technologies that are now forming the building blocks of the Metaverse and lists a few legal and practical issues likely to arise from our future travels into that environment.
2022
Text Messaging—The Digital Evidence Revolution
Text messaging technology has become a dominant form of communication and a frequent evidentiary issue in court proceedings. Judge Dixon discusses the power of text message evidence and its misuse and admissibility.
Scams Againts Lawyers, Professionals, and Other Ordinary People
Judge Dixon discusses low-tech and no-tech scams that disrupt the lives of lawyers, professionals, and other ordinary people. He concludes that everyone is a potential scam target, regardless of their station in life.
Distracted Driving: Using Technology to Solve a Problem Caused by Technology!
As technology increases convenience and eases the burdens of driving, it also leads to more opportunities for distracted driving. Judge Dixon discusses the use of technology to solve those distracted-driving problems.
Response to “The Court Has Been Hacked!”
In this technology column, Judge Dixon discusses a range of standard and innovative cybersecurity measures to avoid a total shutdown of an IT system as described in his previous technology column.
2021
The Court Has Been Hacked!
Judge Dixon conjures up a worst-case scenario of numerous courthouse operations coming to a halt due to a major cybersecurity event.
Tech and No-Tech Security Considerations for Judges
Judge Dixon discusses the need for judges to practice personal security awareness of their environment away from the courthouse, including considerations that involve little or no technology.
Cell Phones, Social Media, and the Capitol Insurrection
Judge Dixon describes how so-called anonymous cell phone data again proved to contain a trove of information that, when matched with social media posts, led to the identification and arrest of over 300 (and still counting) individuals facing criminal charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. He concludes with a surprise philosophical question.
Artificial Intelligence: Benefits and Unknown Risks
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not only pervasive in our personal lives, but that same technology has made significant inroads into law-related and criminal justice applications. In this article, Judge Dixon highlights certain AI risks that have raised concerns.
2020
Pandemic Potpourri: The Legal Profession’s Rediscovery of Teleconferencing
Since the nationwide shutdowns caused by the pandemic of 2020, the legal profession has given new consideration for expanded use of teleconferencing to conduct trials and other court proceedings. Judge Dixon rhetorically asks if this is the legal profession’s rediscovery of technology and urges the use of available cybersecurity features to minimize disruption of virtual judicial proceedings and patience as we become accustomed to the new normal.
Your Cell Phone Is a Spy!
Judge Dixon discusses the voluminous information our cell phones regularly reveal to third parties about our daily movements and travels and the resulting privacy and security concerns. He admonishes his readers to remember the data is being recorded in a spreadsheet somewhere.
If You Think Your DNA Is Anonymous, Think Again!
Judge Dixon describes the reach of familial search technology that may result in your being pulled unexpectedly into a criminal investigation as a witness, person of interest, or suspect because a familial analysis of crime scene DNA suggests the genetic material came from someone in your family tree.
What Judges and Lawyers Should Understand About Artificial Intelligence Technology
Judge Dixon discusses artificial intelligence (AI) developments and reminds us that the value and utility of the AI results are dependent on the data and information used to generate those results.
2019
Cryptocurrency: The Next Step in the Noncash Era?
Judge Dixon discusses the creation and use, and ups and downs, of cryptocurrency and ends with the question of whether cryptocurrency will ever rival the general acceptance of other noncash options such as checks, credit cards, and mobile payment apps.
Deepfakes: More Frightening Than Photoshop on Steroids
Judge Dixon asks whether the saying “seeing is believing” will lose its meaning as he discusses deepfake technology and its possible effects on election campaigns, business interests, and video evidence in courtrooms.
Embarrassing Redaction Failures
Judge Dixon revisits the subject of redaction failures, which he previously wrote about in 2009 and 2011. He concludes that embarrassing redaction failures are as certain as death and taxes.
2018
Judicial Ethics and the Internet (Revisited)
Judge Dixon tells a cautionary tale about the possible pitfalls of judges engaging in social media activity relating to pending cases and provides a short list of commandments as guides for acceptable conduct for judges using the Internet or thinking about posting on social media.
Cyberattacks on Courts and Other Government Institutions
Judge Dixon warns about the increasing frequency of hacking and other cyberattacks on courts and other government institutions.
Yes, Judges Should Know About Recurring Ethical Issues Involving the Use of Social Media by Lawyers
Judge Dixon offers his opinion that judges should be aware of recurring ethical issues involving the use social media by lawyers and provides a handy “quick perspective” list of commandments about those issues that sometimes play out in the courtroom.
Is Hacking the New Normal?
Judge Herbert Dixon concludes that hacking has become such a prevalent part of today’s technology-driven existence that it is now a part of normal life. To safeguard your digital data, he provides a few basic guidelines.
2017
The Basics of a Technology-Enhanced Courtroom
Judge Dixon discusses the basics of a technology-enhanced courtroom for today’s high-tech generation and others in the legal profession that must still understand the basic setup.
The Wonderful and Scary Internet of Things!
Judge Dixon follows up his article from the previous issue that dealt with the possibility of Internet devices spying on us with this column that indulges fears of technology by discussing the ways in which we are vulnerable. He also considers resulting lawsuit and courtroom dynamics involved with data captured and stored on our devices.
Is Your Internet Device Spying on You?
To remind readers of proven, commonsense actions to protect privacy and digital data, Judge Dixon asks the provocative question: Is your Internet device
Another Harsh Spotlight on Forensic Sciences
Judge Herbert Dixon reports on a recent special report to the president by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which causes him to revisit the subject of his technology column written seven years about the state of forensic sciences.