Source: Daily Report

The Daily Report covers a new standing order issued by a federal judge in Atlanta, which establishes specific rules for the use of artificial intelligence by lawyers in court filings. This order, from Judge J. P. Boulee of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, requires attorneys to disclose whether they have used generative AI in the preparation of any document submitted to the court. This move reflects a growing trend among judges to proactively manage the risks associated with the integration of AI into legal practice.

The order is a direct response to several high-profile incidents where lawyers have been sanctioned for submitting briefs containing "hallucinated" or entirely fabricated legal citations generated by AI chatbots. To prevent such occurrences in his courtroom, Judge Boulee's order mandates that if AI was used, the filing attorney must certify that all text, citations, and legal authorities have been reviewed for accuracy and that the document is free of any false information. This judicial intervention underscores the increasing concern within the legal system about maintaining the integrity of court records and holding legal professionals accountable for the accuracy of their work, regardless of the tools they use.