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2 July 2026

CanLII And Caseway Reportedly Settle AI Copyright Dispute

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CanLII, Canada's free legal database, and Caseway, an AI legal research platform, have reportedly reached a settlement in their copyright dispute over the use of legal case data for artificial intelligence training purposes. The resolution addresses concerns about unauthorized use of publicly available legal materials and the boundaries of AI development in the legal technology sector.
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As recently reported by Canadian Lawyer Magazine, CanLII has settled its copyright infringement action against AI-powered legal assistant, Caseway AI. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but both parties have said the matter is fully and finally resolved.

CanLII filed its claim against Caseway AI (and related entities) in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in November 2024, alleging Caseway AI had breached CanLII’s terms of use and infringed its copyright. The defendants operate the website caseway.ai and provide AI-driven services, including legal research and review of court documents for a monthly subscription fee.

CanLII asserted that Caseway AI copied content from its free database without permission by coordinated bulk and systematic scraping of court decisions, legislation, and secondary sources. CanLII claimed that the copied content contained more than 120 gigabytes of data and 3.5 million records. In addition to declarations of infringement and unjust enrichment, CanLII also sought punitive damages and exemplary damages from the defendants.

In light of the settlement, the underlying allegations were not tested in court. 

The content of this article does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on in that way. Specific advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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