E.D. Okla.: Candor, Accuracy, and Responsibility in Court Filings (Hon. Jason A. Robertso…
Hon. Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge · U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma
Verified September 30, 2026
- Citation
- Candor, Accuracy, and Responsibility in Court Filings (Hon. Jason A. Robertson, E.D. Okla.)
- Order date
- January 6, 2026
Summary
'A reasonable inquiry requires human verification of cited authority. Reliance on automated or technological output alone is insufficient.'
What does the order require?
- 'A reasonable inquiry requires human verification of cited authority. Reliance on automated or technological output alone is insufficient.'
- 'This Court does not regulate, restrict, or require disclosure of the tools or assistance used to prepare filings.' The signer 'bears full responsibility for its contents.'
- Presenting a filing certifies that 'The authorities cited exist and are accurately represented.'
- Submitting nonexistent or hallucinated cases, fabricated quotations, invented statutes, or materially inaccurate descriptions of legal authority 'is impermissible in any proceeding'; remedies may include striking the filing, an order to show cause, monetary sanctions, or referral to disciplinary authorities.
- 'Disclosure of the use of any drafting assistance, research method, or technology does not excuse inaccuracies, cure violations, or mitigate sanctions.'
- Applies to filings 'whether submitted by counsel or by a party appearing pro se', in criminal and civil cases.
Practice areas: federal civil, federal criminal
What the rules require
Magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson’s Candor, Accuracy, and Responsibility in Court Filings, updated January 6, 2026, replaced his 2023 disclosure-and-certification rule. It applies to filings “whether submitted by counsel or by a party appearing pro se” and to criminal and civil cases.
The document drops disclosure: “This Court does not regulate, restrict, or require disclosure of the tools or assistance used to prepare filings.” It keeps a verification duty: “A reasonable inquiry requires human verification of cited authority. Reliance on automated or technological output alone is insufficient.” Presenting a filing certifies that “The authorities cited exist and are accurately represented.”
Fabricated authority and sanctions
Submitting “nonexistent or hallucinated cases, fabricated quotations, invented statutes, or materially inaccurate descriptions of legal authority is impermissible in any proceeding.” Remedies may include striking the filing, an order to show cause, monetary sanctions, and referral to disciplinary authorities. The document adds a “No Safe Harbor Through Disclosure” section: “Disclosure of the use of any drafting assistance, research method, or technology does not excuse inaccuracies, cure violations, or mitigate sanctions.”
Why it matters
The change moves Judge Robertson from a disclosure regime to a verification-and-accountability regime, and it says so expressly: a disclaimer on a filing does not reduce the filer’s exposure.
Primary source
Candor, Accuracy, and Responsibility in Court Filings, updated January 6, 2026 (PDF); Judge Robertson’s page