State Courts and the Usage of AI

A recent article from Lexology[2], discusses how the judiciary in state courts around the nation are handling the usage of AI. Their article is titled, State Courts Prepare for Age of AI, and it discusses that, “Judges have their own ethics codes and, within them, their own professional obligation to demonstrate technological competence – a fact underlined by recent judicial ethics opinions from Michigan and West Virginia. Included within the judge’s technology competence obligation is the imperative to supervise the legal community’s use of artificial intelligence in their courtrooms.”

According to the article, “Seventy-six percent of corporate law departments and sixty-eight percent of law firms in the United States already use artificial intelligence technologies at least once a week.” The article goes on to point out that there are a number of state courts who have created AI task forces or issued guidance on AI and its usage in the practice of law (GA, WV, CT, MD, NJ, UT, and NY). LMICK wishes to remind you that KBA Ethics Opinion E-457 and ABA Formal Opinion 512 provide Kentucky lawyers with guidance on the usage of AI.

AI is here to stay, and both judges and practitioners need to stay on top of its developments as well as the ethical and legal ramifications of its usage. LMICK’s AI series will hopefully continue to provide you with helpful AI information as well as tips and tricks on how it can be integrated into, and have a positive impact on, your practice.

Questions? Contact Jared Burke (burke@lmick.com) for more information.

[2] Lexology is the “number one global legal intelligence platform for mitigating risk, staying abreast of change, and finding expert counsel, built on insights, forward-looking analysis, and expert guidance from the world’s leading law firms.”