A lawmaker with a human face: Towards frontend and backend in law

This article delves into the proposition of transplanting the concepts of ‘frontend’ and ‘backend’ from the realm of software development into the sphere of law. It also contemplates the potential merits and demerits of such a conceptual shift. In the realm of computer science, the frontend typically represents the user-facing portion of a webpage or application, comprising the interface, while the backend remains the concealed repository housing the system’s functionalities. Drawing an analogy to software code, I posit that legal documents serve as a unique form of legal backend. Written with a distinctive syntax and substantive content, legal texts can present challenges for readers unversed in legal jargon. The article investigates whether adopting a frontend/ backend perspective in law can offer added value by envisioning a legal document’s interface, discussing its pros and cons, and identifying potential implementation challenges.