S.D.N.Y.: Individual Civil Rules § 2.E: AI Certification (Cases Assigned to Judge Cronan)
Judge John P. Cronan · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Verified September 28, 2026
- Citation
- Individual Civil Rules § 2.E: AI Certification (Cases Assigned to Judge Cronan)
- Order date
- October 23, 2025
Summary
All litigants are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any output produced in whole or in part by an AI tool.
What does the order require?
- All litigants are responsible for verifying the accuracy of any output produced in whole or in part by an AI tool.
- Any attorney signing an AI-assisted filing must attach a signed certification (i) stating whether the litigant personally reviewed the filing for accuracy of cited legal authorities and factual assertions, and (ii) if so, describing in detail the steps taken to verify the accuracy of all AI-generated legal authorities and factual assertions.
- An attorney who signs an AI-assisted filing yet fails to review for accuracy or to provide the required certification violates this Rule.
- The Court may impose sanctions on counsel and/or strike the filing for noncompliance.
Practice areas: federal civil
What the order requires
Judge John P. Cronan’s Individual Civil Rules § 2.E (updated October 23, 2025) requires a detailed verification certification with any AI-assisted filing. Unlike many disclose-and-certify orders, Cronan’s certification is procedurally rigorous: it must (i) state whether the litigant personally reviewed the filing for accuracy and (ii) describe in detail the verification steps taken for all AI-generated content.
The “describe in detail” requirement raises the practical bar above a check-the-box certification: the attorney must describe “the steps taken to verify the accuracy of all legal authorities and factual assertions generated by the AI tool.” The rule adds that “A model certification may be found on the Court’s website.” The model certification (revised October 23, 2025) has the attorney certify that an AI tool was used, tick whether they “personally reviewed the filing for accuracy” (the alternative box notes that failing to do so “violates the Court’s Rules”), and list the steps taken “to verify the accuracy of all cited legal authorities and factual assertions generated by the AI tool.”
An attorney who signs an AI-assisted filing “yet fails to review that filing for accuracy or to provide the required certification, violates this Rule,” and “The Court may impose sanctions on counsel and/or strike the filing for failing to comply with this Rule.” The certification duty falls on any attorney who signs the filing, “including by appearing on the signature block of the filing.”
Primary source
Individual Civil Rules: https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/practice_documents/JPC%20Cronan%20Individual%20Civil%20Rules%20-%20Updated%202025.10.23.pdf