Judge Roderick Young

Judge Roderick Young is one of the Eastern District of Virginia judges who began requiring AI disclosure in January 2024, adding the Rocket Docket to the growing list of federal courts with formal AI requirements. Along with judges Lauck and Novak, Judge Young started issuing scheduling and pretrial orders that require parties to identify AI use and certify citation accuracy.

The E.D. Va. is famous for its speed—it's called the Rocket Docket for a reason. Cases move faster here than in almost any other federal court, which means the temptation to use AI tools is intense and the window for verification is narrow. Judge Young's AI requirements exist precisely because speed without accuracy is dangerous.

Judge Young's AI Disclosure Requirements

Starting in January 2024, Judge Young began incorporating AI disclosure and certification language into his scheduling and pretrial orders. These orders require all parties who use AI to prepare any filing to identify the use of AI in that filing and provide a certification that they have reviewed all citations for accuracy. This is a case-specific requirement—it appears in the pretrial and scheduling orders rather than as a standalone standing order. The practical effect is the same: if you're litigating before Judge Young, you must disclose AI use and certify that your citations are verified.

The Rocket Docket and AI Pressure

The Eastern District of Virginia earned the Rocket Docket nickname because of its aggressive scheduling orders, fast track to trial, and limited tolerance for delay. Cases here move to trial in months, not years. This pace creates enormous pressure on attorneys to produce filings quickly—exactly the condition that makes AI tools attractive and dangerous. When you have weeks rather than months to prepare a brief, the temptation to rely on AI-generated drafts without thorough verification increases. Judge Young's AI requirements are calibrated for this reality: they don't ban AI use; they ensure that speed doesn't sacrifice accuracy.

E.D. Va. AI Requirements Across the Bench

Judge Young isn't the only E.D. Va. judge to address AI. Judge M. Hannah Lauck and Judge David J. Novak also began issuing similar requirements in January 2024. This near-simultaneous action suggests coordination among the bench—the E.D. Va. judges recognized the issue together and implemented requirements at the same time. While not a formal district-wide rule, having multiple judges with similar requirements creates a de facto standard for the district. Attorneys practicing in the E.D. Va. should assume AI disclosure and certification are expected regardless of their assigned judge.

Practical Compliance for Judge Young's Courtroom

Step 1: Read the scheduling order carefully—Judge Young's AI requirements are embedded in the pretrial orders rather than a standalone document. Step 2: If any AI tool was used in preparing any filing, disclose it in the filing itself. Step 3: Certify that you have reviewed all citations for accuracy. This means actually running them through Westlaw or Lexis, not just reading the AI output. Step 4: Build AI verification into your workflow from day one—on the Rocket Docket, you won't have time to go back and verify later. Step 5: Train your entire team on the requirements, because the fast pace means junior attorneys and paralegals contribute to filings more frequently.

National Security Cases in E.D. Va.

The Eastern District of Virginia handles a significant number of national security, government contract, and military-related cases due to its proximity to the Pentagon, CIA headquarters, and numerous defense contractors. In these cases, AI use raises heightened security concerns beyond citation accuracy. Feeding classified or sensitive government information into public AI tools could compromise national security. Judge Young's courtroom may see cases where AI tool usage isn't just a compliance question—it's a security question. Attorneys handling government-related cases in the E.D. Va. should use only secure, approved AI platforms and never enter sensitive information into public models.

The Bottom Line: Judge Young requires AI disclosure and citation accuracy certification in his pretrial orders. On the Rocket Docket, build AI verification into your workflow from the start—you won't have time to add it later. Disclose AI use, certify citation accuracy, and be especially careful with national security cases.