The article argues that AI-driven judicial reform initiatives within civil justice sys-tems repeat an established pattern in which critique is absorbed into procedure. Using In-vestor–State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) as a cautionary mirror, it shows how managerial legality performs neutrality while reproducing inequality. It then outlines a human-centred alternative grounded in participation, accountability, and contestability, calling for a shift from design-led legitimacy to democratic oversight.