MaxSAT meets Alexy: A computational approach to solve trolley problem-like scenarios in the legal sphere

In this paper, we investigate whether the computational approach for the ethical resolution of the trolley problem proposed by Sommaggio and Marchiori (2020) may be applied to trolley problem-like scenarios that transcend the ethical dimension. Specifically, we draw a parallelism between colliding ethical and legal principles, as well as between MaxSAT and Alexy’s principle theory. We then apply the resolution strategy proposed by the authors to the legal domain, and present the potential benefits and shortcomings of a computational approach to legal reasoning.