Queretaro Courts Deploy SonIA AI to Tackle Case Bottlenecks

The Queretaro Judiciary implemented SonIA, a generative AI system designed to assist in drafting sentences. This process aims to tackle procedural backlogs using private infrastructure and ethical protocols, optimizing operational efficiency without replacing human judicial discretion in decision-making processes.

The Superior Tribunal of Justice of Queretaro issued the first two court rulings in Mexico assisted by a Generative AI server named SonIA. The system was used for a divorce decree and a commercial executive trial under strict judicial supervision.

This technological integration responds to a critical disparity between human capacity and increasing caseloads. Braulio Guerra, President, Superior Tribunal of Justice of Queretaro, justifies the MX$17 million (US$970,000) investment in the infrastructure and training of this solution as a necessary measure for operational survival.

“If we do not bet on technology, digitalization, and alternative mechanisms, the administration of justice in Mexico will be delayed in the human capacity to respond to expectations in five years,” says Guerra. “The solution was to invest in a Generative AI server, not to substitute the judge, but to assist in constructing documents.”

Data from the Superior Tribunal of Justice indicates that while the payroll of the judicial branch grew by only 2%, the volume of litigation increased by 12% during this time. This saturation results in complex operational figures: the state processes 700,000 promotions annually and manages 70,000 active lawsuits through only 83 courts. In family law, the average caseload per judge reaches 2,800 matters.

The infrastructure for SonIA was developed with a focus on data sovereignty and information security. Unlike commercial models, the judiciary opted for a private, air-cooled physical server. This technical decision prohibits the use of public clouds for processing judicial files, which ensures that sensitive data from the parties involved remains under the exclusive control of the institution. 

The server underwent a specialized six-month training period in family and commercial law, analyzing internal databases to align its production with current jurisdictional criteria.

The name SonIA serves as a tribute to Sonia Alcantara, former Magistrate, Superior Tribunal of Justice of Queretaro. During the 1990s, Alcantara led the transition from typewriters to computers within the judicial branch. 

The legal framework for this operation was established on Oct. 24, 2025. The judiciary published guidelines for the responsible, ethical, and safe use of AI in the official newspaper, La Sombra de Arteaga. This document defines the operational parameters for the algorithm and clarifies the responsibilities of public officials when using generative tools. 

The judiciary emphasizes that the system is generative, not regenerative, and is designed to co-exist with human oversight.

SonIA Operational Benchmarks 

The technical performance of SonIA demonstrates a significant advantage in the drafting phase of legal agreements. A human clerk typically averages 15 agreements per day. In contrast, the AI server generates one agreement every 90 seconds, representing an exponential increase in production capacity for procedural tasks. 

This efficiency allows the judiciary to address the backlog of 70,000 annual lawsuits more effectively. The project is in an initial operational phase applied in the Sixth Family Court and the Ninth Civil Court.

Despite the automation in generating drafts, the implementation model maintains the human official as the sole node of legal decision-making. Specialists review all documents produced by the AI, and the presiding judge must validate the final ruling. 

Sustainability, Precedents, and Future Standardization

Adopting AI in the legal processes also contemplates benefits for sustainability and the reduction of operational costs. The Queretaro Judiciary consumes 11 million sheets of paper annually. Moving toward digital processes assisted by AI is expected to significantly reduce the use of physical supplies, paper, and ink. 

Additionally, digital notifications and procedures will save time and transportation costs for the parties involved, which have historically slowed down the administration of justice.

There are additional precedents that reinforce the trend toward judicial digitalization in the United States and Mexico. In August 2025, Juan González, Magistrate, Tenth Collegiate Tribunal in Civil Matters of the First Circuit, documented the use of AI as an auxiliary tool to calculate guarantee amounts. 

Likewise, in March 2026, Hugo Pérez, Judge, Second District Court in Civil Matters in Mexico City, issued circulars to regulate AI in daily jurisdictional functions. Jorge Herrera, Judge, Second Oral Family Court of the Judicial District of Cancun, also notes that AI can help protect officials from emotional exhaustion in complex family matters.

Advocates expect SonIA to expand its training to other branches of law and to present the model to other tribunals across the country to encourage technological standardization.