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 (490 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: 28 April 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)
Laurie Ibach and Mark Stewart v. Bruce Stewart SC Alabama (USA) 24 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (5)
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Adverse Costs Order; Doubled Costs; Filing Prohibition; Bar Referral 17200 USD
Source: Robert Freund
Joann Crawford v. Buffalo Creek Properties, LLC CA Texas (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2), Doctrinal Work (1)
State of Israel v. Vakrat Kiryat Gat Magistrate Court (Israel) 23 April 2026 Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Fine 1000 ILS
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
Krista C. Geddes v. LoanCare, LLC, et al. E.D. California (USA) 22 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Monetary Sanction; Bar Referral 1000 USD
Carol L. Williams v. Tracy Honl CA Oregon (USA) 22 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (3)
Brief Struck; Adverse Costs Order 8044 USD
Primerica Life Insurance Company v. Daniel Vett Finlayson; Michelle Johnson D. Utah (USA) 22 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
ARIH Québec c. Santé Québec Québec CS (Canada) 22 April 2026 Arbitrator Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4), Doctrinal Work (1)
Arbitral award annulled because the award relied on nonexistent ('hallucinated') authorities.
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
Bunce v. Visual Technology Innovations (2) E.D. Pennsylvania (USA) 20 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction, Additional CLE 5000 USD
Report
Motion for sanctions
Source: Volokh
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
In re Prince Global Holdings Limited, et al. S.D. New York (Bankruptcy) (USA) 18 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Firm apologised

Sullivan & Cromwell acknowledged that its April 9, 2026 Motion contained AI-generated inaccuracies including fabricated and misquoted case citations. The firm apologized, identified and corrected the errors in Schedule A, undertook remedial measures, and filed corrected papers. The issue was brought to the firm's attention by opposing counsel (Boies Schiller Flexner).

Jamie Lee Saunders v. Albertsons/Safeway, LLC D. Colorado (USA) 16 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Report
Motion for costs
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
Cynthia White v. Walmart, Inc. S.D. Indiana (USA) 14 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Misrepresented Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Warning
Source: Robert Freund
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
Langen v. The Owners, Strata Plan EPS5455 BC CRT (Canada) 14 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Source: Courtready
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
Bruno Roberto Rodriguez v. Kathryn Louise Rodriguez CA Florida 6th (USA) 10 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
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.)

Harry v. Arie Jan Amsterdam Entreprise Chamber (Netherlands) 9 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)

See story here.

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
That Xiong v. Minga Wofford E.D. California (USA) 9 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Order to Show Cause
In re Troylond Malon Wise W.D. Louisiana (Bankruptcy) (USA) 9 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary sanction; CLE on AI; barred until compliance; Brief struck 2750 USD

=

Source: Jesse Schaefer
M. [W] [Y] c. CPAM du Loiret TJ Orléans (France) 9 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
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)
Joseph C. Zoghaib v. Societe Generale De Banque Au Liban, et al. S.D. Florida (USA) 8 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (3)
Warning
Nancy Parkinson v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review Cmwlth Pennsylvania (USA) 7 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Thanh Nguy v. Jabil Inc. N.D. California (USA) 7 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Aurore Sims v. Assia Souily-Lefave; Around Vegas, LLC D. Nevada (USA) 7 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Warning
Herbert Brooks v. Lowes Home Centers LLC W.D. Louisiana (USA) 7 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (7)
Order to Show Cause
Report
Memorandum in Limine
Blackburn v. United States W.D. Oklahoma (USA) 7 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (5)
Warning
RvV X / IX Raad voor Vreemdelingenbetwistingen (Belgium) 7 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Source: Élise Defreyne
Kelly Bartholomew v. Public Utility Commission of Oregon CA Oregon (USA) 6 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Judicial review dismissed due to submission of fabricated case citations
James Jordan v. USA, Clinicas Del Camino Real, Inc., et al. C.D. California (USA) 6 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Admonishment
Gamez v. County of Fresno E.D. California (USA) 6 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (1)
Order to Show Cause