Your weekly dose of legal insights, industry trends, and research-driven updates
1. 2025 Marks a Turning Point for Legal Tech: AI, Regulatory Guardrails, and New Models Reshaping the Profession
In 2025, legal technology has transitioned from exploratory phase to structural transformation. Generative AI has moved past pilot?projects into enterprise-wide deployment, optimizing workflows, research, drafting and pricing strategies. Investment into legal tech surged globally with sector funding up 44% year-over-year while startups and alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) introduce subscription and task-based models that challenge traditional law firm dominance. Simultaneously, concerns over ethics, privacy and AI reliability have gained renewed focus. Jurisdictions and legal institutions are adapting regulatory frameworks; courts demand human oversight and secure data practices. For legal practitioners and judges, 2025 underscores that technological competence and responsible innovation are no longer optional but essential.
2. Delhi High Court Lay Down Protocol for Accessing Seized Legal Records in GST Cases
The Delhi High Court has intervened in a petition filed by an advocate challenging a GST search and seizure of his office, including confiscation of his computer. The Court expressed concern over the violation of attorney-client privilege noting that confidential client data cannot be accessed without safeguards. The GST Department alleged the advocate was actively involved in running a client’s gaming business not merely providing legal representation. The Bench directed that the seized CPU may be examined only under strict supervision requiring the presence of the advocate, his lawyers or forensic expert, senior IT officials of the High Court and GST’s forensic team. The Court also mandated cloning of the hard drive and sharing a copy with the advocate and barred coercive action pending further hearing on 30 October 2025.
https://delhihighcourt.nic.in/app/showFileJudgment/PMS09092025CW110212025_191144.pdf
3. Presolv360 Raises USD 4.7 Million to Strengthen Online Dispute Resolution in India
Mumbai-based online dispute resolution (ODR) platform Presolv360 has raised USD 4.7 million in its Series A funding round led by Elevation Capital with participation from existing investor MGA Ventures and several angel investors. Founded in 2017 by Bhaven Shah, Namitha Shah and Aman Sanghavi the company integrates legal technology including AI-enabled modules or arbitration and mediation. The fresh capital will be deployed to enhance its tech infrastructure expand into new dispute resolution formats, accelerate market adoption and build out its team. Presolv360 claims a track record of over one million disputes resolved, spanning 2.5 million parties across 12,000+ Indian pin codes.
https://inc42.com/buzz/update-exclusive-presolv360-raises-4-7-mn-from-elevation-capital-others/
4. SC Declines to Quash HC Directions, Stresses That Justice Requires Investigators Themselves to Be Investigated When Allegations Are Serious
The Supreme Court upheld Delhi High Court directions for registration of FIRs against two CBI officers accused of misuse of authority in a case dating back to 2000. The High Court had found that prima facie cognizable offences were disclosed, warranting investigation. A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale held that registration of FIR is mandatory under Section 154 Cr.P.C. where such offences appear and a preliminary inquiry report cannot be treated as conclusive. While affirming the High Court order the Court modified it by directing that the probe be conducted by Delhi Police through an officer not below the rank of ACP instead of the Special Cell. The investigation is to be completed within three months with the officers required to cooperate and protected from arrest unless custodial interrogation becomes necessary.
5. Supreme Court Orders Eviction, Upholds Landlord’s Title and Bona Fide Need After Decades of Tenancy
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the appeal of Jyoti Sharma affirming her ownership rights over a disputed shop in Alwar and ordering eviction of tenants who had been in possession since 1953. The tenants had challenged her claim and disputing a Will executed by her father-in-law Ramji Das. While lower courts rejected her eviction plea however the Supreme Court held that tenants cannot dispute the landlord’s title after paying rent for decades. Justices J.K. Maheshwari and K. Vinod Chandran found her bona fide need to expand the family’s sweets business established and held eviction with six months time to vacate.
https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2024/51135/51135_2024_17_1501_64013_Judgement_11-Sep-2025.pdf
6. MCA Broadens Fast-Track Merger Regulations to Include Unlisted Firms with Loans under ?200 Crore
Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has widened the scope of fast-track mergers under Section 233 of the Companies Act, 2013. Earlier limited to small companies and wholly owned subsidiaries. The route is now open to unlisted firms with outstanding debt up to ?200 crore provided there are no repayment defaults. It also covers mergers between holding and subsidiary companies, fellow unlisted subsidiaries and cross-border mergers involving a foreign holding and its Indian wholly owned subsidiary. Companies must file auditor certificates and scheme details in prescribed forms. The move aims to ease NCLT workload and speed up corporate restructuring.
7. HC Orders Fresh Inspection of Medical College Before 2025 MBBS Admissions
The Delhi High Court directed the National Medical Commission to conduct a fresh inspection of a medical college and submit its report just before the second round of MBBS counselling begins. The court said admissions for 2025–26 would be allowed only if the college is found compliant with statutory norms and that the counselling authority must allot seats strictly on merit. It clarified that this order has no bearing on the separate CBI investigation which will continue independently. All concerned authorities including the expert panel were asked to cooperate to ensure a swift decision.
https://delhihighcourt.nic.in/app/showFileJudgment/68304092025LPA5632025_092847.pdf
8. SC Rules High Courts Cannot Use ‘Review’ as a Second Appeal
The Supreme Court has struck down a 2024 review order of the Madras High Court and reinstated its 2022 ruling that let a woman claim a one-third share in ancestral property under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005. The judges clarified that review under the Civil Procedure Code has a very limited scope it can only correct an obvious error or account for genuinely new evidence. It cannot be used to revisit facts or rewrite conclusions which belong to appellate proceedings. By curbing the wider use of “review”, the Supreme Court stressed that once a judgment is delivered it stands settled in law. The trial court has been directed to hear the pending applications and finish the case within three months.