US Supreme Court Adopts New Tech to Identify Conflicts

New software will help justices detect potential conflicts of interest in cases.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 5:23am

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The U.S. Supreme Court has announced the adoption of new software to assist in identifying potential conflicts of interest for the justices. The automated recusal checks will complement the court's existing procedures for reviewing conflicts. The court is also adding beefed-up requirements for certain court filings, including more thorough lists of parties involved and stock ticker symbols.

Why it matters

The move aims to address longstanding concerns about the lack of an enforcement mechanism for the court's ethics code and the justices' authority to decide for themselves whether to recuse from cases where their 'impartiality might reasonably be questioned'.

The details

The new software was created by the court's information technology office and other court staff. It will compare information about lawyers and parties to a dispute against data provided by the offices of each of the nine justices. The new filing requirements, which take effect on March 16, will require more detailed lists of parties involved in a case and stock ticker symbols where relevant.

  • The Supreme Court announced the new software and filing requirements on February 17, 2026.
  • The new filing requirements take effect on March 16, 2026.

The players

U.S. Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States, responsible for interpreting the Constitution and federal law.

Gabe Roth

The executive director of the advocacy group Fix the Court, which has long pushed for greater transparency and accountability in the Supreme Court.

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What they’re saying

“The court wrote at the end of the code that it would 'undertake an examination of best practices' on judicial ethics, and the use of conflict-check software is a best practice.”

— Gabe Roth, Executive Director, Fix the Court

What’s next

The new filing requirements will take effect on March 16, 2026, and the court will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the new software in identifying potential conflicts of interest.

The takeaway

The Supreme Court's adoption of new technology to help detect conflicts of interest among the justices is a step towards greater transparency and accountability in the nation's highest court, addressing longstanding concerns about the lack of enforcement mechanisms for the court's ethics code.