Check a development file when a generative assessment tool is in use
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Record whether the project file would be entered into a generative tool that discloses it, and list each item on the agency published application list that the draft does not yet contain. Write no application, and do not describe the tool output as the agency assessment.
- What the lawyer must review
- Government Code section 65940(a)(1) requires each public agency to compile a list specifying in detail the information required from an applicant for a development project, and to revise that list to include a certification of compliance with section 65962.5 and the statement of application required by section 65943. Copies are available to applicants and to any person who asks. Subsection (b) requires the list, where applicable, to identify whether the project is within 1,000 feet of a military installation, beneath a low-level flight path, or within special use airspace as defined in Public Resources Code section 21098, and within an urbanized area as defined in section 65944. Those four cross-referenced sections were not opened. A local application is not a detailed statement under 42 USC section 4332(C). CEQ regulations formerly in 40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508 were removed effective 8 January 2026. No opened rule lets an assessment tool replace the agency list or the application. Opinion 512 requires a person to verify generative output. Model Rule 1.6 forbids revealing information relating to the representation by putting it into a tool that discloses it, unless the client gives informed consent or an exception applies.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Potential support includes preparing preliminary structure or wording. Confirm the tool’s capability and permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.