M.D. Pa.: Standing Order on Use of Generative AI (Judge Karoline Mehalchick, M.D. Pa.)
Judge Karoline Mehalchick · U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Verified September 30, 2026
- Citation
- Standing Order on Use of Generative AI (Judge Karoline Mehalchick, M.D. Pa.)
- Order date
- November 1, 2024
Summary
Any party, whether appearing pro se or through counsel, who utilizes any generative AI tool in the preparation of any document to be filed in any matter pending before Judge Mehalchick must include with the document a Certificate of Use of Generative AI.
What does the order require?
- Any party, whether appearing pro se or through counsel, who utilizes any generative AI tool in the preparation of any document to be filed in any matter pending before Judge Mehalchick must include with the document a Certificate of Use of Generative AI.
- The certificate must disclose the specific AI tool that was used.
- The certificate must disclose the portions of the filing prepared by the AI program.
- The certificate must certify that a person has checked the accuracy of any portion of the document generated by AI, including all citations and legal authority.
- Failure to comply with this Order may result in sanctions.
- '[A]ll parties and counsel are directed to review the conclusions on pages 15 and 16 of the Joint Formal Opinion of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and Philadelphia Bar Association regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence and be mindful of their ethical and professional obligations before this Court.'
Practice areas: federal civil
What the order requires
Secondary reporting traces Judge Mehalchick’s standing order to a case-specific Civil Practice Order in E.J. v. Johnson, No. 3:23-CV-1636 (M.D. Pa. Aug. 19, 2024); that order has not been checked against the docket here. By November 2024 the text appeared on Judge Mehalchick’s chambers page as a rule for all matters pending before her: archived copies of the page show no AI section in mid-August 2024 and the current text by November 6, 2024.
The rule requires a Certificate of Use of Generative AI to accompany any document filed before Judge Mehalchick, disclosing the specific AI tool, the AI-drafted portions, and certifying human review for accuracy including all citations and legal authority. Failure to comply may result in sanctions. The order also directs “all parties and counsel” to review the conclusions on pages 15 and 16 of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and Philadelphia Bar Association Joint Formal Opinion on artificial intelligence.
M.D. Pa. chambers cluster
Mehalchick’s order is the template adopted by Magistrate Judges Latella and Caraballo, with the same Certificate of Use of Generative AI requirement and sanctions backstop. Mehalchick was first among the three; the others followed. Magistrate Judge Caraballo has since replaced the certificate with a caution to verify AI-prepared facts and citations.
Quotable line
“Failure to comply with this Order may result in sanctions.”