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Rhode Island to Require Lawyers to Verify AI-Generated Work

June 17, 2026 at 19:13 EDT

Policy & Regulation

The Rhode Island Supreme Court on June 17, 2026 adopted interim guidance requiring lawyers to independently verify work produced by generative AI (GAI), joining a growing list of states issuing AI rules for the legal profession.

June 17, 2026 · Rhode Island Supreme Court

Lawyers Must Verify Every Word of AI Work

New guidance amends the rule on competence to require attorneys to independently review and verify all AI-generated output — citations, arguments and facts — joining a growing wave of U.S. jurisdictions setting AI rules for legal practice.

100%

of AI output must be independently verified by a human

states issuing new AI rules for lawyers in 2026

hourly billing allowed for time AI saves

A spreading rulebook · who acted, when, and how

Rhode Island
Jun 17, 2026

Mandatory independent verification, Rule 1.1 amendment, new billing rules

Florida
May 2026

Certification of accurate citations in filings

New York
Jun 1, 2026

Prohibits fabricated cases in court filings

AI is a first draft — never the final product

The guidance ties AI use to existing Model Rules. Attorneys remain responsible for all work submitted.

Rule 1.1

Competence

Rule 1.3

Diligence

Rule 1.6

Confidentiality

Rule 3.3

Candor to tribunal

Upside · efficiency

Faster legal research
No ban on AI tools — human oversight, not prohibition
Routine AI costs treated as overhead, like rent

Caution · the risks

Hallucinated citations and fake cases
Confidentiality breaches from public tools
Bias and billing disputes

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