Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling for stronger oversight on how federal judges use artificial intelligence. Grassley, a lifelong farmer from Butler County, says recent incidents involving two federal judges revealed that staff in their chambers used AI to draft court orders filled with factual errors and fabricated information.
Grassley says one judge misidentified the parties in a case and cited evidence that didn’t exist. Another included fake quotes and misstated case law. When the mistakes were raised, Grassley says both judges quietly removed the orders without explanation.
Grassley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor earlier this week, saying the errors are “reckless and unacceptable,” and warned that accountability must apply to judges as well as attorneys.
He’s calling on the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and the Judicial Conference to develop formal guidance on AI use. Grassley says the issue is a “wake-up call” for the judiciary and vowed continued oversight to ensure public trust in the courts.
