Tenth Circuit proposes certification for AI-assisted filings

On September 18, Reuters reported that the Tenth Circuit proposed requiring lawyers and self-represented litigants to certify human review and independent verification of AI-assisted filings. Comments remain open until October 18, a final decision is expected by December 1, and the rule would take effect January 1, 2027 if adopted across the circuit’s six states. For firms, the proposal converts a general competence and candour obligation into a workflow checkpoint that can be documented through research logs, citation validation and named reviewer accountability. The wider watch point is whether other appellate courts adopt compatible language or create a patchwork of filing attestations.