A Connecticut federal judge has hit the brakes on discovery while she considers Yale University’s attempt to shut down a lawsuit filed by a student accused of using artificial intelligence to cheat on a final exam.
In an order entered Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell said Yale and several university officials “have presented sufficiently substantial arguments for dismissal,” enough to justify a temporary pause while she reviews their motion. The judge emphasized that she was not predicting whether she will ultimately toss the case but noted that three critical factors—laid out in the 2020 precedent Metzner v. Quinnipiac University—weighed in favor of a stay.
Court Says All Factors Support Yale’s Push for a Pause
Judge Russell evaluated the “strength of the dispositive motion,” the scope and burden of the requested discovery, and the “prejudice a stay would have on the non-moving party.” According to her order, all three considerations tilted decisively toward the defendants.
The court rejected plaintiff Thierry Rignol’s argument that a delay could harm his case, saying his concerns amounted to speculation about fading memories. “Beyond speculating that witnesses’ memories may fade during a stay, plaintiff has not demonstrated that a stay will undermine his eventual ability to prosecute this action,” the judge wrote.
