2011 - 2011 Workshop on Agent model-based reasoning in Law

2011 Workshop on Agent model-based reasoning in Law

Monday, 6 June 2011
In conjunction with the 13th International Conference on AI and Law (ICAIL 2011) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, June 6-10, 2011, under the auspices of the International Association for Artificial Intelligence and Law (IAAIL).
Subject of the workshop
Modeling agents involves reasoning about agents based on observations of their interaction with the environment and with each other. Given observations of the actions of agents, a modeling agent’s task is to attribute a mental model of their beliefs, plans, intentions, goals, etc.
In the field of law, mental model-based reasoning about agents has always played a central role. In legal theory and legal doctrine we find concepts dealing with intentionality in relation to legal and criminal acts, the expectation of compliance to the law by others, reasonable anticipation of the consequences of one’s actions and omissions, the credibility of witness and expert testimony in relation to motives, etc.
Agent technology has had an increasing impact in the field of AI & Law over the past two decades, influencing it and being influenced by it. Normative multi-agent systems have clearly made an important research contribution to AI & Law. Microtheories about the mind are however ubiquitous in AI & Law, and also find a place in ontologies of law and theories of argumentation and evidence in court.
This workshop seeks to bring together researchers in AI & Law from diverse backgrounds, to share ideas and recent results on agent model-based reasoning in relation to the law. It will aim to identify important research directions and opportunities for synthesis and unification.
Research topics

Any contribution addressing a model of agent behavior in the field of law is relevant. The following areas of research are specifically relevant:
Agent roles in law-based institutions and plan recognition based on regulative and constitutive rules
Conceptual issues in the formal specification of norm-governed multi-agent systems
Monitoring of multi-agent interactions in law enforcement
Agent model-based reasoning about evidence from witness and expert testimony
Mental concepts in ontologies of law
Models of agent interaction in policy simulation
Workshop format
The half-day workshop will consist of a series of research presentations. A plenary discussion is planned, seeking to highlight important research directions and opportunities for synthesis and unification.
Submissions
Tentative submission deadline: March 14 2011
Short position papers of 2-4 pages and full research and problem analysis papers of 8-10 pages describing relevant preliminary or completed work are invited.
Preliminary work is welcome, as long as it possesses sufficient substance for serving as a basis for discussion. We are examining post-workshop publication venues for full papers. Authors of short papers may be invited to expand the paper for publication.
Organizers
Alexander Boer, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Guido Boella, University of Torino, Italy
Giovanni Sartor, European University Institute, Italy