# Joshua Deahl > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joshua_Deahl > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joshua_Deahl.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Deahl > Source revision: 1348885330 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Joshua Adam Deahl** (born February 13, 1981) is an American attorney who has served as an [associate judge](/source/Federal_tribunals_in_the_United_States#Article_I_tribunals) on the [District of Columbia Court of Appeals](/source/District_of_Columbia_Court_of_Appeals) since January 2020.[3][4] ## Education and career Deahl earned his [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) from [Arizona State University](/source/Arizona_State_University) in 2003[5] and his [Juris Doctor](/source/Juris_Doctor) from [University of Michigan Law School](/source/University_of_Michigan_Law_School) in 2006.[6] After graduating from law school, Deahl [clerked](/source/Law_clerk) for [Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit](/source/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Fifth_Circuit) Judge [Fortunato Benavides](/source/Fortunato_Benavides)[6] and [Supreme Court Justices](/source/Supreme_Court_Justices) [Sandra Day O’Connor](/source/Sandra_Day_O%E2%80%99Connor) and [Anthony Kennedy](/source/Anthony_Kennedy).[7] Deahl worked as an attorney for the [Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia](/source/Public_Defender_Service_for_the_District_of_Columbia) and in private practice.[7] ### District of Columbia Court of Appeals On June 29, 2017, President [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) nominated Deahl to the [District of Columbia Court of Appeals](/source/District_of_Columbia_Court_of_Appeals).[8] His nomination expired on January 4, 2019, with the end of the 115th United States Congress.[9] Trump renominated Deahl on May 2, 2019, to a 15-year term as an associate judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to the seat vacated by [Eric T. Washington](/source/Eric_T._Washington).[10] On October 22, 2019, the [Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs](/source/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Homeland_Security_and_Governmental_Affairs) held a hearing on his nomination.[11] On November 6, 2019, the Committee reported his nomination favorably to the senate floor. On November 21, 2019, the full [Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) confirmed his nomination by [voice vote](/source/Voice_vote).[3] He was sworn in on January 6, 2020.[12] ### AI in the Law Judge Deahl was one of the first judges to openly use AI in a judicial opinion when, in a dissent, he shared some exchanges he had with an LLM when scrutinizing his view that one could say beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a "plain and strong likelihood" that a dog left in a car in 98 degree heat for 1 hour and 20 minutes would be harmed. [13] In the fall of 2025, Judge Deahl co-taught the first law school course focused on AI use in the judiciary. [14] He is teaching a similar course, AI in Appellate Practice and Judicial Decisionmaking, at UChicago Law in the fall semester of 2026. ## See also - [List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 1)](/source/List_of_law_clerks_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States_(Seat_1)) - [List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 8)](/source/List_of_law_clerks_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States_(Seat_8)) ## References 1. ["Questionnaire for Nominees to the District of Columbia Courts"](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-116shrg38285/pdf/CHRG-116shrg38285.pdf). United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. October 22, 2019. p. 33. Retrieved June 15, 2021. 1. ["Opening Statement of Joshua A. Deahl"](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/imo/media/doc/Prepared%20Statement-Deahl-2019-10-221.pdf). *hsgac.senate.gov*. October 22, 2019. Retrieved 19 Oct 2025. 1. ["PN704 — Joshua A. Deahl — The Judiciary"](https://www.congress.gov/nomination/116th-congress/704). *[United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress)*. November 21, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019. 1. ["Norton Relieved at D.C. Confirmations, Urges Senate to Fill Vacancies"](https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-relieved-at-dc-confirmations-urges-senate-to-fill-vacancies). *[United States Congress](/source/United_States_Congress)*. November 22, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019. 1. ["The Honorable Joshua Deahl"](https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2020-01/DCCA_Bio_Deahl.pdf). *District of Columbia Courts* 1. ["Opening Statement of Joshua A. Deahl"](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Prepared%20Statement-Deahl-2019-10-221.pdf). *[United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate)*. October 22, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019. 1. Rodgers, Jack (2019-10-22). ["Senators Advance DC Judicial Picks and Marshal Nominee"](https://www.courthousenews.com/senators-advance-dc-judicial-picks-and-marshal-nominee/). Retrieved 2019-12-16. 1. ["Seventeen Nominations Sent to the Senate Today"](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/seventeen-nominations-sent-senate-today-2/). *[whitehouse.gov](/source/Whitehouse.gov)*. Retrieved 2019-12-16. – via [National Archives](/source/NARA) 1. ["PN727 - Nomination of Joshua A. Deahl for The Judiciary, 115th Congress (2017-2018)"](https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/727). *www.congress.gov*. 2019-01-04. Retrieved 2019-12-16. 1. ["Seven Nominations Sent to the Senate"](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/seven-nominations-sent-senate-2/). *[whitehouse.gov](/source/Whitehouse.gov)*. May 2, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019. – via [National Archives](/source/NARA) 1. ["Nominations of Joshua A. Deahl to be an Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals; Deborah J. Israel and Andrea L. Hertzfeld to be Associate Judges, Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and Robert A. Dixon to be United States Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia"](https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/nominations-of-joshua-d-deahl-to-be-an-associate-judge-district-of-columbia-court-of-appeals-deborah-j-israel-and-andrea-l-hertzfeld-to-be-associate-judges-superior-court-of-the-district-of-columbia-and-robert-a-dixon-to-be-united-states-marshal-for-the-superior-court-of-the-district-of-columbia). *[United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate)*. October 22, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019. 1. ["Appellate Attorney and Former Supreme Court Law Clerk Joshua Deahl sworn in as Newest DCCA Judge"](https://newsroom.dccourts.gov/press-releases/appellate-attorney-and-former-supreme-court-law-clerk-joshua-deahl-sworn-in-as-newest-dcca-judge). *District of Columbia Courts*. Retrieved 2020-01-12. 1. ["www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/Ross-v-United-States-23-CM-1067-S.pdf"](https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/Ross-v-United-States-23-CM-1067-S.pdf) 1. ["law.washu.edu/news/washu-law-expands-ai-training-and-education-to-the-judiciary/"](https://law.washu.edu/news/washu-law-expands-ai-training-and-education-to-the-judiciary/) ## External links - [Official bio of Judge Deahl](https://www.dccourts.gov/sites/default/files/2020-01/DCCA_Bio_Deahl.pdf) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joshua Deahl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Deahl) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Deahl?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.