Colombia’s legal system experiments in the metaverse: Report

Colombia has positioned itself at the forefront of innovative ways to conduct legal proceedings after recently hosting a trial in the metaverse.

A Colombian court recently hosted its first legal trial in the Metaverse, with the court magistrate saying it felt “more real than a video call,” according to a recent report.

According to a Reuters report published on Feb. 24, Colombia’s Magdalena Administrative Court held a court case in the Metaverse on Feb. 15, involving participants in a traffic dispute.

The case, which went on for two-hours, was brought by a regional transport union against the police, which will progress “partly” in the metaverse, with a potential for the verdict to also be given in the metaverse.

The participants appeared as avatars in a virtual courtroom, with Magistrate Maria Quinones Triana dressed in black legal robes.

It was noted that Columbia is one of the first countries in the world to test legal proceedings in the metaverse, with Quinones telling Reuters that it felt more “real than a video call.”

Related: The ethics of the metaverse: Privacy, ownership and control

This comes after a recent survey released by CoinWire on Jan. 16 found that 69% of respondents believe that the metaverse will eventually modify social lifestyles due to new approaches taken for entertainment and activities.

Cathy Hackl, author of Into the Metaverse: The Essential Guide to the Business Opportunities of the Web3 era told Cointelegraph on Jan. 31 that the “physical world side” of the metaverse will “come in the next 10 years.”

Hackl added that if that is considered, then how we “socialize will be deeply impacted by the metaverse

The World Economic Forum (WEF) held in January this year was seen boasting metaverse experiences, with the conference allowing delegates to experience the forum in its own 3D immersive digital sessions called the “Global Collaboration Village.”