North Dakota: AI rules for lawyers

What this means for lawyers

The North Dakota Court System's public notice of 1 June 2026 says AI use is not prohibited in North Dakota courts, but the attorney or self-represented litigant is fully accountable for every filing, including fabricated citations produced by AI.

Verify everything: the notice expects citations to be independently confirmed, and says the duty of candor (Rule 3.3) requires attorneys to personally verify that every cited authority exists, is accurate and supports the argument; it also invokes Rules 1.1 (competence), 3.1 (meritorious claims) and 5.1/5.3 (supervision) of the North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct.

Do not put confidential, sealed, juvenile, PII or PHI material into AI tools in a way that could disclose it; responsibility for safeguarding it stays with the user.

The court may reject or strike non-compliant filings and impose sanctions under N.D.R.Ct. 11.5, and N.D.R.Civ.P. 11 applies whether or not AI was used.

As at 31 October 2026.

Telling the court and the client

• Tell the courtUnclear

  Court disclosure: no — the notice states courts "do not require" disclosure of AI use solely because AI was used, though disclosure may be required or appropriate under existing rules or orders in specific circumstances. Client disclosure/consent: no rule found (no North Dakota court or bar source addressing it was located).

  Public Notice on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Tell the clientUnclear

  Same basis and sources as above.