Law As Code: A Legal System Shaped By Software

If all laws could be discussed and changed with a pull request, it could allow the public to assist officials in discovering loopholes and special interests. Such modern “legal repositories” might level the playing field by allowing the public to review laws before they are voted on, rather than restricting them to a select group of individuals.

Americans spend more on legal fees than any other country in the world. In the United States, legal costs — the price of resolving disputes — made up around 2.3 percent of the entire economy, totaling approximately $429 billion just five years ago.