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Judge Considers Sanctions Against Attorneys in Prison Case for Using AI in Court Filings
- On May 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco conducted a questioning session in Birmingham with Butler Snow attorneys regarding AI-created false citations found in filings related to a prison lawsuit.
- The legal documents were submitted in a case brought by an inmate who suffered several stab wounds at William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, alongside a Department of Justice lawsuit accusing the prison of dangerous and violent conditions.
- A partner at Butler Snow, Matt Reeves, relied on ChatGPT to gather case law references but failed to confirm their accuracy, resulting in five fabricated citations appearing in two federal court documents signed by four attorneys, including Reeves and Bill Lunsford.
- Judge Manasco said nationally there are warnings about AI in legal filings due to inaccuracies and is considering sanctions including fines, giving the firm 10 days to respond while the firm repeatedly apologized.
- This incident highlights broader legal and ethical concerns over AI fabrications, prompting calls for caution and guidelines to protect judicial integrity and prevent erosion of trust in legal processes.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Firm used AI in court filings
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, — A federal judge said this past week that she is considering sanctions against lawyers with a high-priced firm hired to defend Alabama's prison system after ChatGPT was used to write two court filings that included nonexistent case…
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, also within the world of elite journalism. Where are the limits that this technology should have?
If we allow an artificial intelligence into the judicial system, the logic of whose decisions remains a secret, we risk losing trust in the legal system. If citizens begin to doubt the impartiality of the courts, it is not technological innovation that is at risk, but the very foundation of the rule of law, write Karoliina Ainge and Kaimar Karu.
Law firm defending Baltimore jail conditions faces sanctions over AI-generated filing
A brewing Alabama courtroom scandal over the improper use of generative artificial intelligence by a pair of high-powered attorneys could have serious implications for a decades-old lawsuit over Baltimore jail conditions.
Lawyer for Fox News leaker says AI to blame for errors in court filing
Former Deadspin editor Timothy Burke (inset picture) from an undated social media image. (Graphic by The Desk) An attorney representing former journalist Timothy Burke in his high-profile computer crimes case says artificial intelligence tools and communication lapses were to blame for an error-filled court filing that drew criticism from a federal judge. On Monday, defense attorney Mark Rasch admitted he and other members of Burke’s legal team …
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