New York's 22 NYCRR Part 161 and EDNY AI Certification Order Take Effect June 2026

Two significant New York court-level AI governance requirements arrived at the start of June 2026. The New York Unified Court System's 22 NYCRR Part 161, effective 1 June 2026, establishes a statewide AI policy for all UCS civil and criminal courts: AI use is permitted without mandatory disclosure, but individual courts may opt into a model rule requiring attorney certification of independent review for fabrications. Separately, the Eastern District of New York adopted a standing order in May 2026 — nearly identical to the Southern District's amended General Order 2024-03 (updated February 2026) — requiring attorneys to certify whether AI was used in preparing any filing and to identify the specific tools used. Midsized firms with New York litigation practices must now have documented AI disclosure and verification procedures in place to comply; firms practicing in multiple federal districts should default to the most demanding standard in their active courts.