Artificial Intelligence & The DC Courts

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is technology that lets computers do things that usually need human thinking. This includes things like understanding speech, solving problems, recognizing pictures, or making smart guesses.*

AI in the Courts: Early Stages

The DC Courts are carefully planning on how to use AI in smart and fair ways. We are exploring tools like a website chatbot, help with office work, and simple legal research. The goal is to make court operations work better while protecting fairness, privacy, and public trust.

In March 2024, the DC Courts created an AI Taskforce (link to order) to study how AI could be used in the Courts. In June 2025, the Task Force shared an AI RoadMap that gives the Courts a clear plan for finding good uses for AI, thinking carefully about whether those ideas should be approved, teaching court staff about AI, and setting rules for how AI should be used.

The DC Courts shared an Internal AI Use Policy with staff in July 2025. The policy explains how AI should be used in the Courts, sets rules to keep its use safe and fair, and helps staff understand their responsibilities when using AI tools.

How AI Could Help The DC Courts

• Helping with scheduling and managing tasks
• Hiding private or sensitive information in documents automatically
• Helping staff see patterns or trends in the types of cases being filed
• Helping process payment orders more quickly and accurately
• Reducing repetitive manual work so staff can focus on more important tasks

Looking Ahead

As the DC Courts use AI more, the focus will be on transparency, ethics, accountability. Every AI tool will be carefully reviewed, and the Courts will share information with the public about how AI is being used and its impact.

Learn More

AI Glossary
Our Guiding Principles
DC Courts Guide to AI
DC Court’s’ AI Internal Use Policy
Our AI Roadmap
Other State Courts AI Orders