Colorado

informal

Summary

Colorado has the highest-profile attorney discipline case on AI (People v. Crabill, 90-day suspension, November 2023), a binding Supreme Court rule amendment (Rule Change 2026(02), effective January 2026) confirming that AI use does not diminish RPC obligations, a published Court of Appeals warning (Al-Hamim v. Star Hearthstone, December 2024), and the Colorado AI Act (SB 24-205) with enforcement beginning June 30, 2026. No formal CBA Ethics Committee opinion on AI exists.

Applicable ABA Model Rules

Rule 1.1
Rule 1.3
Rule 1.4
Rule 1.5
Rule 1.6
Rule 3.3
Rule 5.1
Rule 5.3
Rule 7.1
Rule 8.4

Carrier Implications

A firm lacking an AI verification protocol is exposed to competence-based malpractice claims. The "does not diminish" language in Rule Change 2026(02) closes any argument that AI errors are categorically different from other lawyer errors, giving carriers a basis for AI governance underwriting questions.

This summary is informational only. Verify the primary source before relying on this entry. Bar rules differ meaningfully by state. Consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Colorado has built its AI framework through high-profile discipline (People v. Crabill, 23PDJ067) rather than a formal ethics opinion. The Crabill case established that not reading or verifying AI-generated citations violates RPCs 1.1 and 1.3, that failing to alert the court after discovering hallucinated citations violates Rule 3.3, and that the coverup (false attribution to an intern) was the aggravating factor that elevated the sanction.

Rule Change 2026(02), adopted January 8, 2026, codifies that AI use “does not diminish a lawyer’s responsibilities under these Rules.” Two D. Colo. judges (Crews and Wang) require AI certification on every filing, and Judge Wang’s standing order survived constitutional challenge in Hessert v. Street Dog Coalition (April 2026). The Colorado AI Act (SB 24-205) begins enforcement June 30, 2026 and may apply to firms using AI for “consequential decisions” in “legal services.”

Bottom line for a 5-50 attorney Colorado firm: Rule Change 2026(02) codified that AI use “does not diminish” RPC obligations. Two D. Colo. federal judges require AI certification on every filing. The ADAI enforcement date (June 30, 2026) requires an AI deployment assessment now. The Crabill case establishes that the coverup is worse than the error.

Last verified: April 23, 2026