Arizona Supreme Court Rejects Ban on Judicial AI Use

The Arizona Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking a strict moratorium on the use of generative AI by judges through 2029. The proposal, referred to as Rule 135, aimed to ban the technology from core judicial work. In denying the petition, the court determined that the only effective way to study the technology is for the courts to test it themselves under close supervision.

Under current guidelines, judges and staff are permitted to use approved AI tools for administrative tasks to increase efficiency and reduce case backlogs. However, the court established a firm ethical boundary that prohibits the use of AI to write legal rulings or make final decisions on cases.

The Arizona Steering Committee on Artificial Intelligence and the Courts is continuing its evaluation of the technology. The committee is scheduled to submit a formal status report to the Supreme Court on March 1, 2027.