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 (956 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)
Based on this database, I have developped an automated reference checker that also detects hallucinations: PelAIkan. Check the Reports
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.
| Case | Court / Jurisdiction | Date ▼ | Party Using AI | AI Tool ⓘ | Nature of Hallucination | Outcome / Sanction | Monetary Penalty | Details | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braun v. Day | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Show Cause Order | — | ||
| 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 | — | — | |
| Fadi El Bitar v. Julio Hernandez | W.D. Washington (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
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
|
|||||||||
| Superb Motors Inc. et al. v. Anthony Deo et al. | E.D. New York (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Monetary Sanction | 1500 USD | ||
|
In his Response to the Order to Show Cause (available here), Counsel blamed the incident on virus and malwares allegedly impacting his computer. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Sai Malena Jimenez-Fogarty v. Thomas Fogarty et al. | S.D. New York (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Lawyer | LexisNexis |
Fabricated
Case Law
(7)
|
Monetary Sanction; Order to Notice Client | 2500 USD | ||
|
Source: Robert Freund
|
|||||||||
| 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)
|
— | — | ||
| Justin Spiehs v. Erik Smith | D. Kansas (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Amparo Trejo v. Miguel Angel Amaya Hernandez | CA Maryland (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Brief Partly Struck | — | — | |
| Anthony C. Hill v. Workday, Inc. (2) | N.D. California (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Lawyer | CoCounsel |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment; Monetary Fine; 4 hours live CLE; Order Circulation | 1001 USD | — | |
| 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 | — | — | |
| Tekoma Chaney v. Transdev Services Inc. et al. | C.D. California (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Lawyer | LexisNexis+ (Protégé) |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Monetary Sanction; Reporting to other courts | 2500 USD | — | |
| Pate v. CMG Mortgage, Inc., et al. | E.D. Tennessee (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Richard Paul Smith v. Verra Mobility Corporation et al. | M.D. Florida (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Tunstall v. Alabama Department of Corrections | N.D. Alabama (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Louis L. Ligon III v. Meta Platforms, Inc. | N.D. California (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| 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 | — | — | |
| Gregoire v. Board of Trustees of San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District | N.D. California (USA) | 27 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Correct and Explain | — | — | |
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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 | — | — | |
| IN RE PAULA M. MILLER, Relator | AC Texas (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied | — | Warning | — | — | |
|
Concurring opinion noted the mandamus petition contained attributions and quotations to caselaw that strongly appear to be AI-fabricated hallucinations; court emphasized counsel must verify AI research and warned of potential corrective measures (striking briefs, reporting to State Bar). |
|||||||||
| 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 | — | ||
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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
|
|||||||||
| Yanling Zhang v. Yanhui Zhang | SC Nevada (USA) | 22 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Monetary Fine; Bar Referral; Refusal to file corrected brief | 250 USD | — | |
|
Order to Show Cause is here. |
|||||||||
| In re: María V. Irizarry Centeno; Anissa M. Bonilla Irizarry | TS Puerto Rico (USA) | 21 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(6)
|
Admonishment | 1000 USD | — | |
| 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 | ||
|
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). |
|||||||||
| Robert Harris v. Elementis Specialties, Inc. | C.D. California (USA) | 17 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |