Des Moines Sun

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has sent letters to two federal judges, raising concerns about their possible use of generative artificial intelligence in drafting court orders that contained significant factual errors. The inquiry comes after reports that U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate of Mississippi and U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals of New Jersey issued rulings with notable inaccuracies.

Grassley stated, "As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I am committed to safeguarding litigants’ rights and ensuring that every party in federal court receives fair treatment and careful review by the Article III judges confirmed by the Senate." He added, "No less than the attorneys who appear before them, judges must be held to the highest standards of integrity, candor, and factual accuracy. Indeed, Article III judges should be held to a higher standard, given the binding force of their rulings on the rights and obligations of litigants before them."

In his letters, Grassley asked Judges Wingate and Neals whether they or their staff used generative AI tools or entered confidential case information into such platforms while preparing decisions. He also requested that both judges re-docket their original orders to maintain transparency in court records.

The situation began on July 20, 2025, when Judge Wingate issued a temporary restraining order halting a state law that banned diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools. The Mississippi Attorney General’s office later challenged the order for including incorrect parties, misquoting state law, making unsupported statements, and referencing individuals not involved in the case. In response to these concerns, Wingate replaced his order with a corrected version dated earlier than its actual issuance and removed the original from public view without providing an explanation beyond calling the mistakes “clerical.”

On July 23, 2025, Judge Neals withdrew a decision in a biopharma securities case after defense attorneys pointed out inaccurate attributions and misstatements regarding previous cases. According to media reports citing someone familiar with the matter, an assistant in Neals’ court had used an AI platform during drafting; errors introduced by AI were not caught before publication due to lapses in review.

The Senate Judiciary Committee oversees matters related to judicial proceedings and federal courts. Errors like those identified raise questions about how thoroughly judicial decisions are reviewed and about potential risks associated with AI use in legal processes.