Citations

"Lawyers Face Serious Sanctions After Relying on AI for Fake Legal Citations in Alabama Prison Case"

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Three attorneys representing Alabama’s prison system faced sanctions and were removed from a federal lawsuit after a judge determined they had included fictitious legal citations in their court documents, generated by the AI tool ChatGPT. U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco issued a stern order, reprimanding attorneys Matthew Reeves, William Cranford, and William Lunsford from the Butler Snow law firm for referencing nonexistent court cases. The judge characterized these citations as “hallucinations” produced by the artificial intelligence software, stating plainly that the references were entirely fabricated. The lawsuit in question was initiated by … Read more

UK Judge Sounds Alarm Over AI-Generated Citations: A Call for Legal Accountability and Integrity

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London, United Kingdom—Concerns regarding the integrity of the legal system have escalated following two recent court cases where lawyers employed false citations generated by artificial intelligence. Senior High Court judge Victoria Sharp has issued a stark warning, indicating that attorneys who rely on these fabricated legal references without confirming their validity might face prosecution. During a recent case involving a £90 million lawsuit by Qatar National Bank, a lawyer submitted a total of 18 non-existent legal precedents. It later emerged that the client’s admission of providing the misleading information did not absolve the lawyer of … Read more

High Court Sounds Alarm on AI Misuse in Legal Sector: Fake Citations Raise Serious Concerns

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LONDON, United Kingdom — The UK’s highest court is urging legal professionals to take swift action to address the risk of artificial intelligence misuse, following concerns over fabricated case-law citations surfacing in multiple court cases. Reports indicate that instances of entirely fictional legal references have begun to undermine the integrity of the judicial process. Legal practitioners are increasingly integrating AI tools into their work to help formulate arguments. However, two notable cases this year were marred by references to fictitious case law, raising eyebrows among critics. In one case involving the Qatar National Bank, plaintiffs … Read more

Utah Lawyer Penalized for Relying on ChatGPT: Court Filings Include Fabricated Legal Citations

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SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah lawyer has been sanctioned by the state’s court of appeals after he used artificial intelligence to draft legal documents that included fabricated citations. The case highlights growing concerns regarding the use of AI in legal practices. Richard Bednar was penalized after a review of a petition he filed revealed multiple false references. The scrutiny began when the opposing counsel identified inaccuracies in the brief, which had been prepared by a law clerk under Bednar’s supervision. Court documents indicate that Bednar, along with fellow attorney Douglas Durbano, filed a petition … Read more