Denton County, Texas (District Courts): Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intell…
Judges Sherry Shipman (16th), Steve Burgess (158th), Brody Shanklin (211th), Bruce McFarling (362nd), Brent Hill (367th), Karen Alexander (393rd), Jim Johnson (431st), Tiffany Haertling (442nd), Lee Ann Breading (462nd), Derbha Jones (467th), Michael Dickens (477th) and Crystal Levonius (481st) · District Courts of Denton County, Texas
Verified October 1, 2026
- Citation
- Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence, Denton County District Courts
- Order date
- October 20, 2025
Summary
Applies 'to every pending or hereafter filed case in the District Courts of Denton County.'
What does the order require?
- Applies 'to every pending or hereafter filed case in the District Courts of Denton County.'
- 'All self-represented litigants and attorneys who utilize any form of artificial intelligence for legal research, drafting, or analysis in connection with a case before this Court shall, before using any AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding, sign and submit the attached certification form'.
- The certification states that '1. All language, quotations, sources, citations, arguments, and legal analysis created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence were, before submission, verified as accurate through traditional (non-AI) legal sources by a human being; and 2. The attorney or self-represented litigant submitting such information understands and acknowledges that they are and will be held responsible and potentially sanctioned for their own, their staff's, or their co-counsel's failure to comply with this Order.'
- The Exhibit A form acknowledges possible sanctions 'under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 10, the inherent power of the Court, or for contempt of court'.
- 'This Order is effective immediately for all cases filed or pending in the Denton County District Courts.'
Practice areas: state civil, state criminal, state family
What the order requires
The twelve district judges of Denton County signed a Standing Order Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence (Denton Cnty. Dist. Cts. Oct. 20, 2025) that “applies to every pending or hereafter filed case in the District Courts of Denton County.”
Its operative paragraph: “All self-represented litigants and attorneys who utilize any form of artificial intelligence for legal research, drafting, or analysis in connection with a case before this Court shall, before using any AI-generated information in a court submission or proceeding, sign and submit the attached certification form.” The form states that all content “created or contributed to by generative artificial intelligence” was, before submission, “verified as accurate through traditional (non-AI) legal sources by a human being,” and that the filer will be held responsible, and potentially sanctioned, for their own, their staff’s, or their co-counsel’s failure to comply.
The attached Exhibit A form also acknowledges possible sanctions under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Chapter 10 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, the court’s inherent power, or contempt.
Posting
The order directs the District Clerk to file it with the Office of Court Administration. Under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 3a(c), “To be effective, local rules, forms, and standing orders must be published on the Office of Court Administration’s website.” The OCA local-rules portal lists this order as posted October 21, 2025.
Related orders
The Denton County Probate Courts’ order uses the same form but requires it from every filer. The same template appears in the six-county Victoria-region order and the Wise County order.