Obligations tracker
Regulation
An obligations tracker organized by issuing authority and jurisdiction: US federal and state court standing orders, state bar ethics opinions, ABA guidance, and EU AI Act provisions relevant to legal-service AI use. Each entry pairs the primary rule text with a plain-language summary and an effective date, kept strictly separated by jurisdiction scope so US court/bar rules are never conflated with EU AI Act obligations. Serves the task of determining what is mandatory where a practitioner practices. Excludes case outcomes (Risk Digest) and procedural how-to steps (Workflows); this group answers 'what rule applies,' not 'what happened' or 'what do I do.'
US Federal
UpdatedAuthorityDHSRule typefinal ruleEffectiveSep 15, 2026Which $100,000 Foreign Student Work Fee Is in Force?
Replaces open-ended Duration of Status with fixed admission periods; F-1 students needing more time must file Form I-539 extension before their I-94 Admit Until Date.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Rule typeguidanceEffectiveMay 11, 2023No 2025 Law Changed LGBTQ Blood Donation Eligibility
Blood: follow 2023 individual risk-based screening; HCT/P: keep 5-year MSM deferral until 2025 draft finalized.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. CongressRule typestatuteEffectiveJun 9, 2026What the 2026 Senate Reconciliation Package Actually Changes
Distinguish enacted S.2 funding changes from pending Reconciliation 3.0; do not treat the framework as operative.
UpdatedAuthorityWhite HouseRule typeregulationEffectiveSep 21, 2025Why OPT Students Don't Pay the $100,000 H-1B Fee
Fee applies to new H-1B petitions for beneficiaries outside US without valid H-1B visa; currently vacated.
UpdatedAuthorityFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Rule typeregulationEffectiveJul 28, 2026Your Roomba Isn't Banned by the FCC Robot Vacuum Rule
Consumers may continue using previously purchased authorized robot vacuums; newly unauthorized foreign-produced covered devices require FCC authorization before import or operation except the narrow R&D exception.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionRule typeregulationFidelity bitcoin ETF outflows put SEC duties to the test
What do the 2026 FBTC-led bitcoin ETF outflows actually require of issuers, broker-dealers, and advisers? Each controlling SEC action maps to a concrete duty that the outflow scenarios plausibly activate — with primary-source obligations separated from as-reported market analysis.
UpdatedAuthority119th U.S. CongressRule typeproposed legislationH-1B Green Card Pathway Bills 2025–2026: A Legal Status Map
No enacted green-card pathway change as of July 31, 2026; four bills remain introduced and not in effect.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Department of DefenseRule typeregulationEffectiveJan 1, 2023AI Weapons Legal Implications Shift as DoD Rewrites 3000.09
Autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems must allow appropriate levels of human judgment over use of force; triggering systems require senior-level certification before fielding.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Senate Judiciary CommitteeRule typeconfirmation proceedingEffectiveJul 30, 2026Three Ethics Conflicts Behind the Todd Blanche Confirmation Delay
Verify DOJ signatory, authority basis, and recusal status before relying on agency actions while the AG nomination is pending.
UpdatedAuthoritySocial Security AdministrationRule typeregulationWhat Legally Authorizes SSI Payment Schedule Changes
SSI benefits are paid on the 1st; if the 1st falls on a weekend or federal holiday, SSA pays on the preceding business day.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. District CourtRule typestanding orderEffectiveJul 30, 2026Medicaid Work Requirement Ruling Compresses AI Testing Window
Implement Medicaid work verification by January 1, 2027 and notify enrollees by August 31, 2026
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Department of JusticeRule typeethics opinionEpstein Survivors' Protest as a Stress Test for DOJ Ethics
The Epstein survivors' protest during Todd Blanche's confirmation battle is not just a news event but a stress test revealing four structural vulnerabilities in DOJ ethics infrastructure. This article shows legal practitioners how that protest confirms that documented failures in OPR, bar discipline insulation, the Inspector General, and prosecutorial retaliation have tangible consequences for DOJ credibility.
UpdatedAuthorityU.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionRule typeregulationWhat Coinbase Stock Drops Reveal About SEC Crypto Enforcement Risk
This article examines Coinbase's stock price swings in response to SEC enforcement actions from 2023–2026, showing that the SEC's pivot from enforcement-first to task-force rulemaking removed existential threats but left residual regulatory and market risks intact. Learn how compliance frameworks must account for potential re-activation of sidelined enforcement theories.
US State
UpdatedAuthorityTexas Department of State Health ServicesRule typeregulationEffectiveJul 31, 2026Delta-8 Is Now a Felony in San Antonio. Who Gets Charged?
Treat delta-8, delta-10, and other hemp-derived cannabinoids as Schedule I controlled substances; possession exposure follows Penalty Group 2 felony tiers based on aggregate weight.
UpdatedAuthorityCalifornia LegislatureRule typestatuteEffectiveNov 3, 2026Why California's Housing Bond Act Is Two Bonds
Creates two separate general obligation bond authorizations ($10B housing, $1.25B veterans) with distinct repayment sources and finance committees; operative upon voter approval.
UpdatedAuthorityFinancial Services Commission (FSC)Rule typeregulationEffectiveJul 31, 2026South Korea's 2026 leveraged ETF curbs, explained
KRW 30 million cash-only deposit and 20-share minimum trading unit binding as of July 31, 2026
UpdatedAuthorityUnited Nations / IHL treaty frameworkRule typetreaty and customary international lawWhat International Law Applies to Autonomous Drone Strikes?
Verify lawful basis for force; apply distinction, proportionality, and precautions; complete Article 36 weapons review.
UpdatedAuthorityUK ParliamentRule typestatuteUK lawmakers propose an AI superintelligence kill switch
If adopted, authorises Secretary of State emergency shutdown orders for AI systems and datacentres on catastrophic-risk grounds; datacentre operators must maintain shutdown-capable infrastructure and conduct emergency exercises.
EU
UpdatedAuthorityGerman federal legislature (Bundestag/Bundesrat)Rule typestatuteEffectiveJan 1, 2027What Germany's 2027 conscription law actually requires
German men born on/after 2008-01-01 must register and complete the readiness questionnaire from 2027-01-01; medical exam officially dated 2027-07-01.
UpdatedAuthorityPolish Constitutional TribunalRule typeconstitutional court rulingEffectiveJul 28, 2026Poland's constitutional court vs EU law on same-sex marriage
EU law requires recognition of foreign same-sex marriages for free movement purposes despite TK ruling.