Artificial Intelligence

March 8, 2025

Do State Legislatures Have to Obey U.S. Supreme Court Decisions?

In his essay, Do State Legislatures Have to Obey U.S. Supreme Court Decisions? Amherst professor Austin Sarat discusses how several state legislatures, particularly Alabama, are passing laws allowing the death penalty for child rape despite a 2008 Supreme Court ruling, Kennedy v. Louisiana, that declared such punishment unconstitutional. Professor Sarat argues that this strategic legislative defiance represents a dangerous trend that threatens constitutional order, as lawmakers are deliberately passing unconstitutional laws hoping the current conservative-majority Supreme Court will overturn precedent, similar to the strategy that led to Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Reflecting on the urgency expressed by professor Sarat regarding this question, we have prepared our own report, titled Do State Legislatures Have to Obey U.S. Supreme Court Decisions?, An Overview, to provide an added frame of reference for considering the implications of professor Sarat’s posting. Our Report, which follows, is based on our search of related sources, including Deep Research, the advanced AI research application recently introduced by Open AI.

DO STATE LEGISLATURES HAVE TO OBEY U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISIONS?, An Oveerview

February 26, 2025

AI Driven Legal Research and Library Services: A New Era for Law Librarians

by David Badertscher

Introduction:

Law libraries are undergoing a transformation fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). While AI isn’t replacing law librarians, it has become a powerful tool that is changing how legal research is conducted and how libraries serve their patrons

Modern law librarians leverage AI in various domains – from advanced legal research platforms to automated document handling and chat-based reference assistance – all with the goal of improving efficiency and service quality. By offloading routine or labor-intensive tasks to AI, librarians can focus on higher-level work such as complex research consultations, teaching, and strategic planning. The following overview highlights key AI applications in legal research tools, document automation, and chatbots, explaining how each contributes to enhanced library services.

February 16, 2025

Potential Impacts of Government Efficiency Reforms Led by Elon Musk on U.S. Government Libraries

by David Badertscher

Introduction

Materials consulted in preparing this posting were curated from various sources including the recently introduced Deep Research by OpenAI.

With Elon Musk at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, various agencies within the U.S. government may experience restructuring aimed at streamlining operations, reducing costs, and integrating advanced technologies. One area likely to be affected is government agency libraries—institutions that provide critical research, archival, and information services to federal employees, policymakers, and researchers. These libraries, usually housed within agencies such as the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the Department of Defense (DoD), play an essential role in supporting government functions. This essay explores how Musk’s efficiency-driven policies might reshape these libraries, with potential consequences for automation, digitization, data management, funding, privacy and information security. Although the focus of this posting is U.S. government libraries, its implications are far reaching.

December 29, 2024

Exploring Microsoft Copilot: An Experiment in AI Powered Q and A

by David Badertscher

This compilation is part of an experiment, marking the initial use of Microsoft Copilot as a question-and-answer application.

My QUESTION:

“Can you give me a list of the most popular programming languages for beginners, including those with features incorporating artificial intelligence(AI).”

December 19, 2024

Outcome Litigation Predictions: Theo AI

by David Badertscher

Theo AI, a cutting-edge generative AI (genAI) startup based in the United States, has positioned itself as the first predictive AI platform designed specifically for litigation. Backed by an impressive $2.2 million in pre-seed funding, the company aims to achieve what no other legal tech firm has successfully accomplished: accurately predicting the outcomes of legal disputes well before their resolution.

The concept of AI-driven litigation prediction is not entirely new—Artificial Lawyer has been reporting on similar applications since 2016. However, Theo AI’s innovative use of genAI technology marks a significant departure from earlier approaches, potentially setting a new benchmark in the field of legal technology.

From Artificial Lawyer November 2024:

November 14, 2024

Courts Grapple with AI in Litigation: A Patchwork of Orders and Guidelines Emerge to Address New Risks

by David Badertscher

As artificial intelligence, including generative AI, becomes increasingly common in litigation, judges across the United States are working to establish guidelines to prevent its misuse in court. Since Judge Brantley Starr of the Northern District of Texas issued the first standing order on AI in legal filings in 2023, more than 200 state and federal judges have followed suit, creating new standing orders, local rules, and pretrial guidance to address AI use and its potential pitfalls. Just last month, the newly established Texas Business Court included a caution on AI in its inaugural Local Rules.

This rapidly shifting landscape reflects judges’ efforts to address both the opportunities and challenges that AI presents. However, no uniform approach has yet emerged, with judges charting individual courses in their courtrooms and some broadening their orders to cover evidentiary concerns amid growing fears of deep fake evidence. While some judges are exploring ways to integrate AI responsibly, their primary focus remains on curbing its misuse. Practitioners should stay informed, as courts continue to adapt to this evolving frontier.

References:

November 2, 2024

Bridging the Gap Between Law School and Legal Practice

by David Badertscher

An AALL/Bloomberg Partner Webinar.

November 19, 2025 at 1:00PM (CST).

“Participants will hear from research experts at Bloomberg Law as they present the survey findings and discuss how Bloomberg Law is equipping students with the necessary tools and knowledge for successful legal careers. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and learn how to better prepare law school students for the challenges of the legal profession.”

October 30, 2024

Technology Standardization Policy Update, Webinar

by David Badertscher

Sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA), Science and Technology Section.

November 21, 2024, 1:00 – 2:00pm ET.

“The ABA Science & Technology Law Section’s Technical Standardization Committee (TSC) invites you to a webinar briefing with the latest developments in public policy around technical standards. Prompted by rapid technology developments like those related to artificial intelligence (AI), Congress and the executive branch are working quickly to address observed and potential opportunities and risks posed to tech developers and consumers.”

October 29, 2024

ABA Election Resources Help Defend and Promote Democracy

by David Badertscher

A posting by American Bar Association President, William R. Ray.

“Voting is a civic right and responsibility. Everyone eligible to vote should exercise that right. This is our opportunity to have a say in how our government operates. The American Bar Association encourages all to take advantage of this opportunity. ”

For a more generalized statement about elections and voting from federal government perspective, see the White House statement, Elections and Voting.

October 16, 2024

The Digitalist Papers: Artifical Intelligence and Democracy in America, An Overview

by David Badertscher

Following the introduction of Chat GPT3.5 to the public on November 30, 2022, there have been growing concerns about how the emerging AI revolution can be utilized to reimagine and , if necessary, reinvent new technologies capable of preserving our democracy– as we enter another technological, economic, and political crossroads in our society. Sharing these concerns, I have been searching the literature hoping to discover institutionally backed efforts dedicated to addressing them. Recently, I learned about the publishing by the Stanford Digital Lab of The Digital Papers: Artificial Intelligence in America, Volume 1 of a projected ongoing series. Learning of this publication, I immediately went to Amazon and ordered my own copy. The following is my Overview of this first volume:

In the late 18th century, the Federalist Papers emerged as a groundbreaking series of essays advocating for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay—under the pseudonym “Publius”—articulated a vision for governance that reflected the challenges of their time: an unstable political landscape, shifting economic forces, and burgeoning democratic ideals. Fast forward to the 21st century, the world again finds itself at the intersection of disruptive change where the political, economic, and technological forces at play call for a similar intellectual effort to chart a way forward.

The Digitalist Papers: Artificial Intelligence and Democracy in America takes inspiration from the spirit of the Federalist Papers, yet it aims to address an even more complex landscape. The technological revolution now driven by artificial intelligence (AI) offers immense potential to reshape every aspect of human life—from how we communicate to how we govern ourselves. As Hamilton, Madison, and Jay once grappled with how to mold governance to fit the emerging United States, today’s thought leaders must confront the challenge of integrating AI into existing democratic institutions. This is the goal of the Digitalist Papers series: to explore the possibilities of AI’s impact on democracy and to consider how governance structures must evolve to preserve and enhance democratic values in this era of unprecedented technological change.