California enacts SB 574, the first state statute governing lawyers’ use of generative AI
Governor Newsom signed SB 574 on September 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, California attorneys must verify AI output and every citation in court filings, may not delegate the practice of law to generative AI, and face new confidentiality limits on AI tools.
According to published summaries of the enacted bill, SB 574 adds Business and Professions Code section 6068.1 and amends Code of Civil Procedure section 128.7. The key obligations, effective January 1, 2027, are:
- No delegation. Attorneys may not delegate the practice of law to generative AI. The statute does not define which tasks cross that line, so expect guidance and early disputes.
- Verification. Attorneys must take reasonable steps to verify the accuracy of AI output, including that citations exist, remain good law and support the proposition cited.
- Court filings. Every citation in a filing must be verified by the responsible attorney, whatever its source. Commentators note uncertainty about the scope of the new court-disclosure requirement.
- Confidentiality. Confidential or personal information may only go into AI systems whose access is restricted to the attorney and others bound to protect it.
- Arbitrators. Arbitrators may not delegate decision-making to AI.
What to do now: confirm which of your AI tools meet the confidentiality restriction, add a citation-verification sign-off to your filing process, and watch for State Bar and Judicial Council guidance on the disclosure provision. Our free AI Citation Checker and AI Use Policy Generator can help.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Check the primary source and any later developments before relying on this summary.