N.D. Ala.: Initial Order, Part IV (Warning Regarding Artificial Intelligence) (Hon. Anna…
Hon. Anna M. Manasco, U.S. District Judge · U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama
Verified September 30, 2026
- Citation
- Initial Order, Part IV (Warning Regarding Artificial Intelligence) (Hon. Anna M. Manasco, N.D. Ala.)
- Order date
- June 15, 2026
Status and scope
No AI-specific filing obligation: in force, but it imposes no disclosure, verification, or use restriction on attorney filings beyond existing rules. It provides: If 'any filing contains false statements of fact or law generated by artificial intelligence, counsel whose names appear in the signature block for such filing may be ordered to show cause why they should not be sanctioned under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, the court's inherent authority, Local Rule 83.1(f), and/or Alabama Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3.'
What the instrument provides
- If 'any filing contains false statements of fact or law generated by artificial intelligence, counsel whose names appear in the signature block for such filing may be ordered to show cause why they should not be sanctioned under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, the court's inherent authority, Local Rule 83.1(f), and/or Alabama Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3.'
- Show-cause proceedings 'will include not only an in-person hearing, but also sworn affidavits from counsel detailing the sequence of events giving rise to the false statements, counsel's use of generative artificial intelligence, and any other relevant matters.'
- The order directs parties to the court's sanctions orders in Johnson v. Dunn, No. 2:21-cv-1701-AMM (N.D. Ala. July 3, 2025), Dkt. No. 204, and Rivera v. Triad Props. Corp., No. 2:24-cv-1802-AMM (N.D. Ala. Mar. 31, 2026), Dkt. No. 116.
- The part requires no disclosure or certification of AI use.
Practice areas: federal civil
What the order says
Judge Anna M. Manasco (N.D. Ala.), Initial Order (June 15, 2026), Part IV, “Warning Regarding Artificial Intelligence.” The part advises “that if any filing contains false statements of fact or law generated by artificial intelligence, counsel whose names appear in the signature block for such filing may be ordered to show cause why they should not be sanctioned under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, the court’s inherent authority, Local Rule 83.1(f), and/or Alabama Rule of Professional Conduct 3.3 for making false statements of fact or law to the court.”
In that event, “show-cause proceedings will include not only an in-person hearing, but also sworn affidavits from counsel detailing the sequence of events giving rise to the false statements, counsel’s use of generative artificial intelligence, and any other relevant matters.” For examples of sanctions the court has imposed, the order cites Johnson v. Dunn and Rivera v. Triad Properties. No disclosure or certification of AI use is required.
Context
See also Judge Haikala’s initial order and Judge Axon’s disclosure requirement in the same district, and the Alabama tracker page.