CCJ, COSCA creates rapid response team (RRT) aiming to help courts with AI policy

The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) have created a rapid response team (RRT) of chief justices and state court administrators to examine some of the immediate issues related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI in courts.

“The growing reliance on AI tools in the legal practice and court proceedings offers opportunities and challenges,” said CCJ President and RRT Co-Chair Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, chief judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals. “I am pleased that this team will begin work soon to assist courts in understanding the current implications of AI’s evolution on the state courts and create model guardrails to protect the integrity of the judicial process.”

RRT Co-Chair Justin Forkner, chief administrative officer of the Indiana Supreme Court, added, “Our shared understanding of these technologies will help us develop model rules for state courts with respect to disclosure, transparency, accuracy, authenticity, and certification of AI use in court pleading and proceedings.”

Supported by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) staff, this team will collect and analyze court orders, rules, best practices, and other actions of the state court community related to attorneys and self-represented litigants’ use of AI tools to construct legal pleadings.

Additional RRT members are Maryland Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Alaska State Court Administrator Stacey Marz, Administrative Director of Idaho Courts Sara Omundson, West Virginia Chief Justice Beth Walker, and New York Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas.

While the RRT begins its work, courts can find information by visiting ncsc.org/ai. This hub will connect to on-demand webinars, videos, and reports, and an option to sign up for future updates by email.

Those interested will also find information about upcoming events and activities, like the new Implementers’ Forum, designed to connect members of the court community with varying levels of knowledge of and experience with AI.

The forum recently hosted more than 30 participants for its first session that covered risks, technical processes, and a prototype demonstration.