**Judge James E

Judge James E. Boasberg is the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and one of the most influential judicial figures in the country. He previously served as Presiding Judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), giving him unparalleled experience with classified information, national security, and surveillance law. When it comes to AI in court filings, Judge Boasberg hasn't just theorized—he's already sanctioned an attorney for undisclosed AI use, requiring the offending party to pay opposing counsel's fees.

As Chief Judge, Boasberg sets the tone for the entire D.D.C., and he's been publicly unambiguous: "We want lawyers to tell us when they've used AI. They can use it, but they have to disclose it." That's not a suggestion. That's the Chief Judge of the court where the federal government gets sued telling you what he expects.

Judge Boasberg's AI Disclosure Stance: Direct and Enforced

At the IAPP Global Summit in 2026, Judge Boasberg publicly addressed AI use in court filings with unusual directness. He confirmed that he had presided over a case where attorneys submitted filings containing hallucinatory information from AI use, and that he required the offending party to pay attorney's fees to the opposing side as a sanction. His public statement—"We want lawyers to tell us when they've used AI"—establishes disclosure as a baseline expectation in his courtroom. Unlike judges who have issued formal standing orders, Judge Boasberg's approach is more direct: he's telling you what he expects, and he's already demonstrated he'll enforce it. The absence of a formal written order doesn't mean the absence of consequences.

The FISA Court Background and AI Security Implications

Judge Boasberg served as Presiding Judge of the FISC from January 2020 to May 2021, overseeing the court that authorizes foreign intelligence surveillance under FISA. This background gives him a unique perspective on AI risks. The FISC handles some of the most sensitive classified information in the U.S. government, and Boasberg understands that AI tools—which send data to external servers—pose serious confidentiality risks. Attorneys handling cases involving classified information, national security, or sensitive government data before Judge Boasberg should be especially cautious about using AI tools that process case information through cloud-based systems. The FISA context adds a security dimension to AI use that most judges don't consider.

Chief Judge Authority and District-Wide Impact

As Chief Judge since March 2023, Boasberg has administrative authority over the entire D.D.C.—the court where virtually all challenges to federal government action are filed. His public statements on AI disclosure don't just apply to his courtroom; they signal the direction the entire court is moving. The DC Courts AI Task Force (established March 2024) released an AI Roadmap in June 2025, and an internal AI use policy was shared with court staff in July 2025. These initiatives are happening under Boasberg's leadership. While a formal district-wide AI order hasn't been issued yet, the institutional trajectory is clear: disclosure requirements are coming, and Boasberg is driving the process.

Government Litigation and AI Risk in the D.D.C.

The D.D.C. is the primary venue for challenging federal government actions—regulatory challenges, FOIA disputes, administrative law cases, and constitutional separation-of-powers matters. These cases involve complex statutory and regulatory frameworks that AI tools frequently mishandle. Attorneys typically face DOJ lawyers on the other side, and DOJ has its own strict internal policies on AI use. A fabricated citation in a D.D.C. government case isn't just an embarrassment—it can affect the outcome of litigation that impacts millions of people. Judge Boasberg, who has personally handled government cases for over a decade, expects the briefing quality to match the stakes.

Compliance Framework for Filing Before Judge Boasberg

Step 1: Disclose AI use in your filings. Judge Boasberg has publicly stated this is his expectation and has already sanctioned non-compliance. Step 2: Verify every citation independently through Westlaw or Lexis. Step 3: If your case involves classified, FISA, or national security materials, do not use cloud-based AI tools that transmit case data to external servers. Step 4: Monitor the DC Courts AI Task Force for formal rules that may be issued under Boasberg's leadership. Step 5: If you're litigating against the federal government, match the DOJ's internal AI standards for your own filings—DOJ attorneys won't be using unverified AI, and neither should you.

The Bottom Line: Before filing in Judge Boasberg's courtroom, disclose AI use—he's already sanctioned an attorney for not doing so. Verify every citation, exercise extreme caution with classified or sensitive information, and recognize that the Chief Judge of the D.D.C. has made AI transparency a personal priority.