• Colombian court held one of the first judicial hearings in the metaverse using Horizon Worlds technology.
• Participants were represented by virtual avatars, and their identities were verified through emails sent to them.
• While the hearing was successful, some critics questioned its effectiveness as compared to video hearings.

Colombian Court Holds Hearing in the Metaverse

Historic Virtual Process

María Victoria Quiñones Triana, magistrate of the Magdalena court, approved the realization of this hearing, using Horizon Worlds technology provided by Meta and virtual avatars to represent participants in the process. The court used various avatars to represent each one of the parties involved and verification numbers sent to emails registered in their names as proof of identity.

Significance for Judicial Branch

Quiñones stated that verifying true identity is a key process when it comes to utilizing metaverse tech for judicial purposes: „The metaverse constitutes a technological tool that can facilitate access to the administration of justice.“ She further added that information technology can be utilized for expediting and facilitating these processes.

Limitations & Criticism

The public audience who watched via Youtube had mixed opinions about using metaverses for judicial processes. Some commented that there weren’t any advantages compared to video hearings, while others argued it would make transportation easier for people living far from courts. Quiñones responded with understanding towards constructive criticism regarding deficiencies within the Judicial Branch.

Conclusion

Although this was an historic moment for Colombia’s legal system, more research must be done on how effective utilizing metaverses are compared to other methods such as video hearings when it comes to analyzing psychological traits of participants or providing transportation assistance for citizens living far away from courts.