Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually making its way into the legal system, according to a new study from Northwestern University. Polling federal judges across the United States, the research reveals that over 60% of respondents utilize AI tools in their judicial duties. However, despite the widespread acknowledgment of these technologies, only 22.4% of judges reported frequent use of AI tools on a daily or weekly basis.
This study was spearheaded by Daniel Linna, who directs Law and Technology Initiatives and serves as a senior lecturer at Northwestern Pritzker Law, alongside V.S. Subrahmanian, the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science and director of the Northwestern Security & AI Lab in the McCormick School of Engineering. They conducted a stratified random sample survey involving bankruptcy, magistrate, district court, and court of appeals judges, focusing on their use of AI, its judicial applications, and perceptions of its impact on the legal system.
“This study is the first to provide insights based on a random sample of federal judges regarding their AI usage,” Linna noted. “The benefit of a random sample approach is that, while surveys have their limitations, it creates a solid foundation for inferring broader trends among federal judges.”
Published by the Sedona Conference, with the New York City Bar as a co-publisher, the study covers essential insights into judges’ openness to AI technologies.
“While some judges have reservations, many believe that AI presents opportunities to enhance access to the courts, improve justice delivery, and elevate the quality of judicial decisions — all of which require careful consideration,” Linna emphasized. “It is crucial to strategize on how to integrate these technologies into the courts, provide AI training for judges, and critically assess both their advantages and drawbacks.”
The Numbers
The population sampled in the study included active federal judges as of August 2025. This stratified random sample comprised 502 judges: 92 bankruptcy judges, 177 magistrate judges, 182 district court judges, and 51 court of appeals judges. The selection was made using sources like Ballotpedia, the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary, and the Biographical Directory of the Federal Judicial Center. From December 2 to 19, 2025, researchers gathered 112 responses to the survey.
The survey explored various AI technologies such as large language models: ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Copilot (Microsoft), Gemini (Google), Grok (X.ai), and Perplexity, along with specific “AI for Law” tools: CoCounsel (Thomson Reuters), Westlaw AI-Assisted or Deep Research (Thomson Reuters), Protégé or Lexis+ AI (LexisNexis), Vincent AI (vLex), Harvey, and Legora. Of the 112 judges who participated, more than 60% indicated that they utilized at least one of these AI tools in their judicial work; however, about 38% reported never having used any of the mentioned tools. Close to one in four judges, specifically 22.4%, confirmed they used AI tools on a frequent basis.
“AI offers numerous potential applications for knowledge work,” Subrahmanian stated. “Our study indicates that a significant segment of federal judges is already integrating AI tools into their workflows.”
Judges exhibited a greater tendency to use “AI for Law” tools compared to general-purpose AI platforms. The research highlighted that judges primarily employ AI for legal research (30%) and document review (15.5%). Additionally, peers in their judicial chambers also focused on legal research (39.8%) and document review (16.7%) when utilizing AI tools.
Linna pointed out a connection between personal and professional AI use. “If a judge employs AI in their personal life, they are more inclined to incorporate it into their professional responsibilities,” he remarked. Overall, the study found that 38% of judges engage with AI daily or weekly outside of their work, while the majority reported minimal usage, stating they either rarely (26.9%) or never (25.9%) use AI in their personal lives.
This groundbreaking research sheds light on how federal judges are beginning to navigate the integration of AI tools within their judicial processes. Understanding this trend is vital for optimizing the judicial system and ensuring that the benefits of these technologies are realized in a thoughtful and balanced manner.
