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California bars lawyers and arbitrators from delegating legal work and decisions to generative AI

By LexCircuit Desk · · updated · AI-drafted, human-reviewed

Updated : Added SB 574's requirement that attorneys disclose generative AI use to the court for every document they submit.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 574 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, attorneys may not delegate the practice of law to generative AI and, when using it, must keep confidential and nonpublic information out of AI systems and verify outputs. No court filing may contain citations the responsible attorney has not personally verified, and arbitrators may not delegate decisionmaking to generative AI.

Enrolled text (California Legislative Information) → · Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

Key points

  • SB 574 adds Business and Professions Code section 6068.1 and Code of Civil Procedure sections 180 and 1282.1, amends section 128.7, effective January 1, 2027.California Legislative Information
  • Attorneys using generative AI must not enter confidential, personal identifying or other nonpublic information and must verify outputs and correct hallucinated material.California Legislative Information
  • No brief, pleading or motion filed in any court may contain citations, including AI-provided ones, that the responsible attorney has not personally verified.California Legislative Information
  • Arbitrators may not delegate any part of decisionmaking to generative AI or rely on AI-generated information outside the record without prior disclosure.California Legislative Information
  • The Judicial Council must publicly revisit a standard of judicial administration to reflect developments in generative AI.California Legislative Information
  • Attorneys must disclose generative AI use to the court for all documents submitted to the court, under new Business and Professions Code section 6068.1.California Legislative Information

Sources3 articles across 2 outlets

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RegulationCal.California SB 574 artificial intelligence in the legal professionDispute resolutionLitigationProfessional responsibilityTechnologyFor practitionersFor governance