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 (1312 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.

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)
Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency v. Bradley K. Bass, et al. Massachusetts Land Court (USA) 31 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Eric Hildebrandt v. siParadigm LLC et al. D. New Jersey (USA) 31 December 2025 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Cesareo v. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey D. New Jersey (USA) 31 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Sentencia 000126/2025 TSJ Gran Canaria (Spain) 31 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Doctrinal Work (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Misrepresented other (1)
Burnett v. The City of New York SC New York (USA) 31 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Tiffany Regina Ringer v. Bank of America, N.A. N.D. Georgia (Atlanta Division) (USA) 30 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Fine; Ordered to submit statement of training/oversight 1500 USD

Report on Recommendations can be found here.

Source: Robert Freund
Johnson v. Digital Federal Credit Union N.D. Texas (USA) 30 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Report
Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint
M.T. Real Estate Investment Inc. v. Servis One, Inc., et al. D. Nevada (USA) 30 December 2025 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (4), Doctrinal Work (1)
Briefs Struck; Adverse Costs Order; Bar Referral
Pauliah v. University of Mississippi Medical Center S.D. Mississippi (USA) 30 December 2025 Lawyer, Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (2)
False Quotes Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Monetary Sanction; CLE 5000 USD

The plaintiff's sworn declaration contained multiple fabricated quotations and manufactured deposition citations. Defendants identified the fabrications in a motion to strike; the court found the declaration filed in bad faith, struck it, and imposed sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(h). The plaintiff admitted using generative AI to draft portions and failing to review the declaration; counsel failed to verify the citations despite attending and taking the depositions.

Mazaheri v Law Society of Ontario Ontario Law Society Tribunal (Canada) 30 December 2025 Lawyer Grok
Fabricated Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Nicole Beverly Silverberg v. Steven Bonomo, et al. D. Nevada (USA) 30 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Labatt USA Operating v. Friends Beverage Group SC New York (USA) 30 December 2025 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Filings struck

By interim order dated March 17, 2025 the court struck defendants' opposition and cross-motion after finding the filings, drafted with AI, contained hallucinated (fabricated) case citations. The court treated the motion as unopposed thereafter.

M Peiu v Hywel Dda University Local Health Board Employment Tribunal (Swansea) (UK) 30 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Ng v. AmGuard Insurance Company, et al. S.D. New York (USA) 29 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Report
Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition
In re S.A., D.H., and B.M., Minors CA Illinois (USA) 29 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (4)
Warning
Rachel Jones v. Experian Information Solutions E.D. Michigan (USA) 29 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Cherleatha B. v. Frank Bisignano D. South Carolina (USA) 29 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
N° 2506461 TA Orléans (France) 29 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (15)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Admonishment
Chaudhary v. Genest HRT Ontario (Canada) 29 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Herzel Hagigi v. Official Receiver Supreme Court (Israel) 28 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Appeal dismissed, monetary sanction 5000 ILS
Mag 7 Ltd. et al. v. Tederi et al. District Court, Tel Aviv-Yafo (Israel) 25 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction; Order to amend pleading 10000 ILS
Unknown Case Number Anvers (Belgium) 25 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 25000 EUR

See story here.

Mrs Sandra Archer v GTC Contracting Fair Work Commission (Australia) 24 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)

The applicant's representative (Mr M Archer) cited various cases in closing submissions; the Deputy President formed the view he may have used artificial intelligence, asked him, and he admitted doing so. He was asked to supply a list of cited cases with links; the Commission stated it would disregard any cases for which citations/links could not be produced.

JF v Canada Employment Insurance Commission Social Security Tribunal (Canada) 24 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Source: Courtready
Kalala v. Coopérative d'habitation La Fraternité Micheloise CS Québec (Canada) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (1)
Monetary Sanction 500 CAD
Allen v. Amazon N.D. Texas (USA) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning

Amazon alleged that Allen's undisclosed use of AI produced non-existent case citations and hallucinated quotations; the court declined to sanction, warned Allen and required future compliance with local AI-disclosure rule.

Krystle J. Lyons v. Oak Harbor School District W.D. Washington (Seattle) (USA) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Amended Complaint dismissed with prejudice.
Report
Plaintiff's Response
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Leber v. Bryan Medical Center et al. D. Nebraska (USA) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Tekla & Tekla Federal Circuit and Family Court (Australia) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
In the matter of Bayfoyle SC New South Wales (Australia) 23 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Adverse Costs Order (AI misuse one of the factors); Declined to Refer to the Bar 1
Minjie Zheng v. ICANN C.D. California (USA) 23 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Monetary Sanction 66129 USD

The Court found plaintiff repeatedly cited cases that could not be located and attributed false quotations to existing cases and statutes, concluding many citations were AI-generated; awarded reduced fees under §1927 given pro se status.

Source: Robert Freund
Matter of: KE System Services, Inc. GAO (USA) 22 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Smith v. Clarence Smith et al. N.D. New York (USA) 22 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
Report
Plaintiff's Objection
Levy v. Google LLC W.D. Washington (USA) 22 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Donovan v. Clark County Assessor Tax Court of Indiana (USA) 22 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Rathi & Rathi Federal Circuit and Family Court (Australia) 22 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (1)
Leytcorp v Mimbim Enterprises Trade Marks Office (Australia) 22 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Pasuengos v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Federal Circuit and Family Court (Australia) 22 December 2025 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause

The court eventually granted some costs in a subsequent decision (see here).

Obermann v. ICBC BC CRT (Canada) 19 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)

"Mr. Obermann’s submissions refer to cases that do not exist or do not apply. I find the most likely explanation is that they are “hallucinations” generated by artificial intelligence. In AQ v. BW, 2025 BCCRT 907 at paragraph 16, a CRT vice chair found that CRT’s obligation to provide sufficient reasons did not require it to address arguments with no basis in law. I agree with this reasoning and do not address those cases. "

Billups v. Louisville Municipal School District N.D. Mississippi (USA) 19 December 2025 Lawyer Grok
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (3)
Counsel DQ'd; monetary sanction; obligatory audit of all past filings
Report
Plaintiff's Memorandum

The court also identified five other cases in which the same firm or attorney confessed having misused AI. This despite the attorneys attending CLE training

Disability Rights Mississippi v. Palmer Home for Children N.D Mississippi (USA) 19 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
False Quotes Case Law (5)
Monetary sanction; CLE requirement; notification to bar and other courts; attorney withdrawal. 20883 USD
Report
Plaintiff's Memorandum
Fantini v. WestRock Services, LLC D. New Jersey (USA) 19 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Report
Plaintiff's Cross Motion for Summary Judgment
Gavin Simpson v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC W.D. Virginia (USA) 19 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Legal Norm (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Nelligan O’Brien Payne v Amy French IP Office (Canada) 19 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (2), other (1)
Warning
Groux v. CSL CA Michigan (USA) 19 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Appeal dismissed
Patrick Joseph Groulx v CSL Limited CA Michigan (USA) 19 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Appeal dismissed
Robert Lafayette v. Alex Abrami et al Vermont SC (USA) 18 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Adverse Costs Order; Pre-Filing Injunction 7361 USD

Order to show cause is here.

M. [C] c/ CAF de la [Dpt CAF] TJ Périgueux (France) 18 December 2025 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Christina Buenzli CA California (USA) 18 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (6)
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Gerou v. George, Whitten, and United States E.D. Wisconsin (USA) 18 December 2025 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (3)
Warning