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 (831 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 developped 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: 1 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)
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
Burnside v. Verdick, et al. S.D. Iowa (USA) 30 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (6)
Order to Show Cause
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Nisland Asset Investment, LLC v. Carissa Ann Gericke CA Iowa (USA) 29 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Issues deemed waived for failure to provide valid supporting authority
Bathsheba Nichole Adams v. Kiewit Infrastructure West Company, et al. D. Arizona (USA) 29 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Motion Struck; Warning
In re W.B. CA California (5d) (USA) 29 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied Warning
In the Matter of Ikechukwu H. Okorie CA 5th Cir. (USA) 29 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Brandon Rulund Akins v. Tashi Latwon Ratliff, et al. M.D. North Carolina (USA) 28 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (9)
Warning
Pate v. CMG Mortgage, Inc., et al. E.D. Tennessee (USA) 28 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Louis L. Ligon III v. Meta Platforms, Inc. N.D. Cal. (USA) 28 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied Court noted many misstatements of law in the AI-assisted filing but declined to treat Plaintiff's use of AI as an independent basis for discounting the response; cautioned Plaintiff to review AI-assisted filings. No sanctions imposed.
Defendant argued Plaintiff improperly used AI to draft his response, producing many misstatements of law. The court agreed that many citations did not support Plaintiff's propositions but expressly found the response contained no hallucinated or fabricated citations and therefore did not independently penalize or discount the filing on the basis of AI use. The court cautioned the pro se plaintiff to ensure accuracy of AI-assisted filings.
Ali Behroz Aziz, et al. v. United States of America, et al. D. Maryland (USA) 27 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Page Limits and Warning
Moore v. Wireless CCTV LLC S.D. Texas (USA) 27 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Marble v. O'Malley M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) 27 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1), Doctrinal Work (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Admonishment
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Margolles v. The Owners, Strata Plan VR 2477 BC CRT (Canada) 27 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Argument ignored
Source: Courtready
Rhonda L. H.-B. v. Commissioner of Social Security S.D. New York (USA) 27 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (2)
Warning; Refiling Allowed
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Ryan-Michael Jarvis v. County of Teton Wyoming 10th Cir. CA (USA) 24 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
United States v. Jose Marquez CA 5th Cir. (USA) 24 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Joann Crawford v. Buffalo Creek Properties, LLC CA Texas (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2), Doctrinal Work (1)
Philip D. Dennison v. June Caudill et al. S.D. Indiana (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Fatima Meziane v. Abdelouahab Aitouche CA Maryland (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Gunter v. Contango ORE, Inc., et al. D. Alaska (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (1), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (3)
Admonishment
Source: Jesse Schaefer
O.K., LLC v. Melka CA California (2d) (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Meyer v. Castroville State Bank CA Texas (4th Dist.) (USA) 22 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Alishia Monique Jones v. Ahmed Taylor, et al. E.D. Michigan (USA) 22 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Report
Plaintiff's Answer to OSC
In re the Marriage of Joanne Rodrigues and Nathan Craig CA California (6d) (USA) 22 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (9)
Daniel D’Agostino v. Circle K Stores Incorporated, et al. D. Arizona (USA) 22 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Boonstra v Edmonton (City) Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (Canada) 21 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Courtready
Arthur West v. Lower Duwamish Waterway Group CA Washington (USA) 20 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Admonishment
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Essandoh v. Capital One Bank E.D. Texas (USA) 16 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified Warning
Stance Strong and Kinisha Strong v. Zubha Pop Foods LLC d/b/a Popeyes Chicken CA Illinois (1d) (USA) 15 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Centient AI
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Brief Struck
Amit Arora v Canadian National Railway Federal Court (Canada) 15 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Courtready
In the Marriage of: Sarah Lynn Nelson CA Minnesotta (USA) 15 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Matter of: LOGMET LLC, B-423066.2 GAO (USA) 15 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: David Timm
Fofanah v. Rockwall Rental Properties CA Texas (5d) (USA) 15 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Zand v. Sukumar CA California (1d) (USA) 14 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Michael T-Alexander v. Michelle Baass et al. CA California (6d) (USA) 14 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Admonishment
Brian Smith v. TD Auto Finance LLC, et al. N.D. Mississippi (USA) 14 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Shaw v. City of Portola, et al. E.D. California (USA) 14 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (5)
Order to Show Cause
Source: Jesse Schaefer
H.B. v. Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario HRTO (Canada) 14 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Ordered applicant to provide digital copies of all case law they intend to rely on
Source: Courtready
State of Ohio v. Abdullah M. Alqahtani 3d Dist (USA) 13 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Allen v. Hunt N.D. Illinois (USA) 13 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Avalon Holdings Corp. v. Guy Gentile S.D. New York (USA) 10 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Steven Nemec v. Kelsey Kanoelani Alao and Alyssa Jade Alao D. Oregon (USA) 10 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Ifeoma Delliane Chinedu Obi v. Cook County, Illinois, et al. N.D. Illinois (USA) 9 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Brief Struck; Monetary Sanction 4999 USD

(Sanction was initially 9,750 USD, but court later corrected the order, reducing the amount to 5000 USD. No explanation was given.)

Robert S. Hulvat v. Juli Gumina, STG Divorce Law, and Jennifer B. Hulvat CA Illinois (3d) (USA) 9 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 3178 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Pleasant v. Burns N.D. Alabama (USA) 8 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
James C. Young; Tahnee R. Young v. Happy Money CA 8th Circuit (Bankruptcy) (USA) 8 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)