AI Hallucination Cases

This database tracks legal decisions1 I.e., all documents where the use of AI, whether established or merely alleged, is addressed in more than a passing reference by the court or tribunal.

Notably, this does not cover mere allegations of hallucinations, but only cases where the court or tribunal has explicitly found (or implied) that a party relied on hallucinated content or material.

As an exception, the database also covers some judicial decisions where AI use was alleged but not confirmed. This is a judgment call on my part.
in cases where generative AI produced hallucinated content – typically fake citations, but also other types of AI-generated arguments. It does not track the (necessarily wider) universe of all fake citations or use of AI in court filings.

While seeking to be exhaustive (1451 cases identified so far), it is a work in progress and will expand as new examples emerge. This database has been featured in news media, and indeed in several decisions dealing with hallucinated material.2 Examples of media coverage include:
- M. Hiltzik, AI 'hallucinations' are a growing problem for the legal profession (LA Times, 22 May 2025)
- E. Volokh, "AI Hallucination Cases," from Courts All Over the World (Volokh Conspiracy, 18 May 2025)
- J-.M. Manach, "Il génère des plaidoiries par IA, et en recense 160 ayant « halluciné » depuis 2023" (Next, 1 July 2025) - J. Koebler & J. Roscoe, "18 Lawyers Caught Using AI Explain Why They Did It (404 Media, 30 September 2025)

If you have any questions about the database, a FAQ is available here.
And if you know of a case that should be included, feel free to contact me.3 (Readers may also be interested in this project regarding AI use in academic papers.)

Based on this database, I have developed an automated reference checker that also detects hallucinations: PelAIkan. Check the Reports Report icon in the database for examples, and reach out to me for a demo.

For weekly takes on cases like these, and what they mean for legal practice, subscribe to Artificial Authority.

Click to Download CSV
Last updated: 16 May 2026
State
Party
Nature – Category
Nature – Subcategory

Case Court / Jurisdiction Date ▼ Party Using AI AI Tool Nature of Hallucination Outcome / Sanction Monetary Penalty Details Report(s)
In the Matter of Janelle Melissa Lewis, an attorney and counselor-at-law App. Div. 1st Dept (NY) (USA) 14 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction; Bar Suspension 1500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Jones v. Department of the Army Fed. Cir. (USA) 13 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Warning
Source: David Timm
Jane Doe 1, et al. v. Mount Saint Mary High School Corporation W.D. Oklahoma (USA) 13 May 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Public reprimand; Notice to client; Bar Self-Referral
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Christopher Gleason v. Julie Marcus CA Florida (2d) (USA) 13 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Pyle v. Glenn County Sheriff's Department E.D. California (USA) 12 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (1), other (1)
Warning
Henri Giovani Morales Jimenez v. Christopher Shanahan E.D. New York (USA) 12 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Outdated Advice Overturned Case Law (1)
Admonishment
Zena L. Powell v. The Borough of Bergenfield D. New Jersey (USA) 12 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Order to Show Cause
Jacobs v. Timberlake CA Louisiana (5d) (USA) 12 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
DeVore v. McCombie N.D. Illinois (USA) 11 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Explain
Bell v. Bell SC Pennsylvania (USA) 11 May 2026 Judge Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
William Louis Armstrong, III v. City of Milwaukee E.D. Wisconsin (USA) 11 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Court granted motion to file corrected reply brief, found no prejudice

The County's original reply brief included a fictitious case citation. The County discovered and filed a corrected brief the same day; the Court allowed the correction, found no prejudice, and declined to impose sanctions.

Taiujuan Burches v. Equifax Information Services, LLC, et al. E.D. Lousiana (USA) 11 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Broyles v. McNeal CA Georgia (USA) 8 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Erica P. Kyne v. Owen Ehima; In re: Change of Name (Evelyn Ehima Kyne) SC Connecticut (USA) 8 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Coomer v. Lindell/MyPillow, Inc. (2) D. Colorado (USA) 7 May 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Order 5000 USD

Order to Show Cause is here.

Source: Volokh
Kristina Crist v. Roy Chris West, et al. W.D. Oklahoma (USA) 7 May 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Public reprimand; Notice to client; Monetary Sanction 250 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Eric Tobler v. Stephen Tobler, et al. E.D. Michigan (USA) 7 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Report
Plaintiff's Response to Motion
Joshua Harris v. Pinnacle Bank (2) N.D. Mississippi (USA) 7 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (3), Legal Norm (4)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (3)
Case dismissed with prejudice as sanction
Stokka v. Stokka SC North Dakota (USA) 7 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Double costs awarded as sanction 1000 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Song Dow Lee, et al. v. HSBC Bank USA, National Association, et al. C.D. California (USA) 7 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Danielle L. Neri v. Board of Education for Albuquerque Public Schools D. New Mexico (USA) 7 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Centient AI
Fabricated Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Warning
Gregoire v. Board of Trustees of SF BART N.D. California (USA) 6 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction; Serve Order on client and Bar; CLE 1000 USD

Order to Show Cause is here. Counsel failed to answer.

Source: Robert Freund
Terrance Anthony Norris v. JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. E.D. New York (USA) 6 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Warning
Boersma v. Davenport CA Oregon (USA) 6 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Pooja Ramesh Singh v. Jammu & Kashmir Bank Supreme Court (India) 5 May 2026 Judge Implied
Fabricated Case Law (6)
Ongoing

The NCLT Mumbai Bench cited several Supreme Court judgments in its order admitting Essel Infraprojects to CIRP. The suspended director's counsel alleged that, except for two, the cited judgments and extracted portions could not be verified and were 'hallucinated' (non-existent). The Supreme Court treated this as an integrity issue and directed an affidavit listing the disputed citations.

⚠ Alleged AI Use
Hannah Renee Payne v. The State SC Georgia (USA) 5 May 2026 Prosecutor, Judge Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Admonishment; 6-month suspension from appearing before the Supreme Court; 12 hours CLE; trial court order vacated and case remanded
Jessica Fuller v. Hyde School, et al. D. Maine (USA) 5 May 2026 Lawyer Claude or ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
CLE; Firm procedures and certification; Serve Order to plaintiff; Brief struck
Krivaia v. Hungerford B.C. SC (Canada) 5 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Source: Courtready
Moore v. MC Architects Inc., et al. D. Hawai'i (USA) 5 May 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 1000 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Seeto v. Kendall D. Nevada (USA) 5 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated other (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Van Deel v. A-Plus Contracting, LLC Missouri CA (USA) 5 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Amanda Adams v. Allen Butler Construction, Inc. CA Texas (USA) 5 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Barber v. Morawa CA Michigan (USA) 5 May 2026 Lawyer Claude, ChatGPT, Westlaw, Lexis
Fabricated Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Admonishment in court

See recording of oral hearing from 5 May 2026.

Regan Wilkes, et al. v. Canyons School District, et al. D. Utah (USA) 4 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause 7000 USD

Order to Show Cause is here.

Eliott Williamson v. TransUnion LLC, Experian Information Solutions, Inc. CA 11th Cir. (USA) 4 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Affirmed on appeal earlier dismissal with prejudice
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Devin A. Robinson v. Velosio, LLC D. Maryland (USA) 4 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Richard Paul Smith v. Verra Mobility Corporation et al. M.D. Florida (USA) 1 May 2026 Lawyer ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Notify Client

Order to Show Cause is here.

Morton v. Cherkaoui B.C. CA (Canada) 1 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Courtready
Sherdena Rocky Ali v. Carlos Efre Idiokitas CA Kentucky (USA) 1 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Yasmani Gurri Rubio v. Markwayne Mullin, et al. D. Maryland (USA) 1 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (5)
Warning
Chamberlain v. City of Albany M.D. Georgia (USA) 1 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Johnny Fuselier v. John S. Riscassi S.D. Mississippi (USA) 1 May 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Chen v. Goodmore Investments & Tawa Supreme Court (New Zealand) 1 May 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Carpenters’ Regional Council v Wealthridge Construction Ltd et al. Ontario LRB (Canada) 1 May 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Courtready
Braun v. Day N.D. Illinois (USA) 30 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Show Cause Order
Report
Plaintiff's Motion to Compel
Sana Hazina Butler v. Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC S.D. New York (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Mercy Wellington v. City of New York S.D. New York (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Faisal Rahman v. Michael J. Burton, et al. N.D. Illinois (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Jamal Berry v. Early Warning Services E.D. Pennsylvania (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Darrin L. Johnson, Jr. v. Nationstar Mortgage, LLC, et al. D. Maryland (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause