Supreme Court adopts automated software to help justices avoid conflicts of interest

The U.S. Supreme Court announced it will begin using automated software to help justices determine when they should step aside from cases involving potential conflicts of interest.

According to the court, the system will compare the names of parties and attorneys involved in a case with lists maintained by each justice identifying individuals, organizations, or financial interests that could present a conflict. The technology is similar to tools already used in some lower federal courts.

The software was developed by the court’s Office of Information Technology in coordination with its legal and clerk’s offices. Alongside the rollout, the court is updating filing rules to require parties to include stock ticker symbols when applicable, allowing the system to better identify financial connections.

The move follows increased scrutiny of Supreme Court ethics practices in recent years. The justices adopted a formal code of conduct in 2023 after public attention focused on financial disclosures, outside relationships, and questions about whether some justices should have recused themselves from certain cases.

Unlike lower court judges, Supreme Court justices largely manage their own ethics decisions. While justices may note when they recuse themselves from a case, they are not required to explain why.

Court reform advocates say the automated system is a positive step toward greater transparency, though similar tools have been used elsewhere in the federal judiciary for many years.

The new software is expected to streamline the recusal process while helping the court more consistently identify potential ethical conflicts before cases are heard.

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