Hawkeye Reporter

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has contacted two federal judges about their reported use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in drafting court orders. The inquiry follows 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 significant factual errors, raising questions about the possible involvement of AI tools without sufficient human oversight.

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.”

Grassley has asked Judges Wingate and Neals to clarify whether they or any staff used generative AI or entered confidential case information into such tools when preparing their decisions. He also requested that both judges re-docket their original orders to maintain transparency regarding court actions.

In July 2025, Judge Wingate issued a temporary restraining order halting a state law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public schools. The Mississippi Attorney General’s office later filed a motion pointing out multiple inaccuracies in Wingate’s order—such as naming parties not involved in the case, misquoting state law, making unsupported factual statements, and referencing individuals not present in the case record. In response, Wingate replaced his order with a backdated corrected version and removed the original from public records without providing an explanation for these errors.

Similarly, on July 23, 2025, Judge Neals withdrew his decision in a biopharma securities matter after defense attorneys highlighted errors including inaccurate quotes attributed to defendants and other cases as well as misstated legal outcomes. According to reports citing someone familiar with the situation, “a temporary assistant” in Neals’ chambers had “used an artificial intelligence platform” when drafting the initial opinion. The statement also indicated that “the opinion was inadvertently issued before a review process was able to catch errors introduced by AI.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee holds broad authority over matters related to judicial proceedings and oversight of federal courts and judges. Grassley emphasized that mistakes like those identified undermine confidence in judicial processes and prompt concerns about decision-making accuracy.