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 (840 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keirton Inc. v. Mersad Rahmanovic | D. Colorado (Bankruptcy) (USA) | 19 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Prisbrey v. Prisbrey | CA Utah (USA) | 19 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Kelly Bartholomew v. Clackamas County | LUBA (Oregon) (USA) | 19 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Petition struck | — | — | |
| Forest Ridge Townhomes Corporation of Greensboro v. Heag Pain Management Cente et al. | CA North Carolina (USA) | 18 March 2026 | Lawyer | Perplexity.AI |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Davos Francois v. Vive Financial | CA Florida (4th) (USA) | 18 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Doiban v. Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission | CA Oregon (USA) | 18 March 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 10000 USD | — | |
|
Petitioner’s opening brief contained at least 15 fabricated case citations and at least nine purported quotations that do not exist in Oregon case law; counsel acknowledged reliance on unverified search-engine results and some use of AI for an outline. Court capped sanctions at $10,000, required a replacement brief limited to accurately described authorities, and required certification that no generative AI was used to draft the brief and that cited authorities were verified. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| Riddle Aggregates v. IRS | Tax Court (USA) | 18 March 2026 | Expert | Grammarly, ChatGPT, and Gemini |
Fabricated
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Report withdrawn | — | — | |
|
See description and story here. |
|||||||||
| Sarah & Regina Alonso v. Jackson | W.D. Washington (USA) | 17 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Gregory Richmond and Lynne Richmond v. City of Newport, Washington | CA Washington (d3) (USA) | 17 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Regan Wilkes, et al. v. Canyons School District, et al. | D. Utah (USA) | 17 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Michael Wayne Singletary v. SWBC Mortgage Corporation et al. | CA Fifth Circuit (USA) | 17 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Zesiger v. Kansas et al. | D. Kansas (USA) | 17 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Shaquan Pridgen v. Amazon.com Services LLC | D. New Jersey (USA) | 16 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Esterra Commons Venture, LLC dba Verde Esterra Park v. Justin Norton | CA Washington (d1) (USA) | 16 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2),
Legal Norm
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Domingo Beato-Estrella v. M. Arviza | M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 16 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Meriland Keith Dillard v. CBS Studios, Inc. | C.D. California (USA) | 16 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Factor in dismissing with prejudice | — | — | |
| Whiting v. City of Athens, Tenn. | CA Sixth Circuit (USA) | 13 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Adverse Costs Order; Monetary Sanction; Potential disciplinary proceedings | 30000 USD | ||
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| A.C. Appellant v. H.D. AND J.C. | SC Pennsylvania (USA) | 13 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
| Albert Taylor v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, et al. | D. Nevada (USA) | 13 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| DSME Construction Co., Ltd. | ASBCA (USA) | 13 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3),
Legal Norm
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Brief struck | — | — | |
|
Source: David Timm
|
|||||||||
| In re Scott Mitchell Obeginski | CA Texas (9th) (USA) | 12 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to attach copies of cited authorities affirmed | — | — | |
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| Suiter v. GM - General Motors, LLC | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 12 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Hartmann v. Davidson | N.D. Texas (USA) | 12 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Bolden v. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co (In re: Eric Chibueze Nwaubani) | CA Fourth Circuit (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Public admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| Checks Aciek Ateny Nai v. National Asset Mortgage, LLC, et al. | W.D. Michigan (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Legal Norm
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause satisfied; court declined to impose Rule 11 sanctions. | — | — | |
| Donte McClellon v. E. Rickard, Warden of FCI Otisville, et al. | S.D. New York (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Samantha Roussell v. The Bank of New York Mellon | CA Florida (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Kateryna Maslovska v. Ekaterina Shigabetdinova | AC Illinois (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning (both parties) | — | — | |
|
Appellate court found briefs from the parties contained six AI-style citations (four from defendant, two from plaintiff) that either did not exist or did not support the propositions for which they were cited. The court cautioned compliance with the Illinois Supreme Court Policy on AI but imposed no sanctions and affirmed the judgment due to an inadequate record on appeal. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Dillon v. Myles Stephenson, et al. | W.D. Oklahoma (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Traver v. General Motors Financial Company Inc., et al. | D. Massachusetts (USA) | 11 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Hunter v. TForce Freight Incorporated | D. Arizona (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied | — | Warning | — | — | |
| Brown v. State of Mississippi | CA Mississippi (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| In re A.R. and N.R., Minors | AC Illinois (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Tina Rose v. City of West Frankfort et al. | S.D. Illinois (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | ChatGPT | — | Warning | — | — | |
| Helen Allen v. Cass Casper and Disparti Law Group | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Monetary Sanction | 1500 USD | — | |
| United States of America v. Lorenzio Reshaud Simmons | E.D. North Carolina (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning; Allowed to file corrected brief | — | — | |
| Michael Platt v. Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana | S.D. Indiana (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Brief Struck, Warning | — | — | |
| Cartagena v. Dixon, Blackburn, and T.A. Blackburn Law, PLLC | S.D. New York (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Lawyer | Protégé (LexisNexis) |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Arno Kuigoua v. Adam Michael Sacks | CA California (2nd) (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| A.K. v. M.R. | CA Indiana (USA) | 10 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Slay v. Ross | CA Georgia (USA) | 9 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| M7 Indústria e Comércio de Compensados e Laminados v. U.S. Structural Plywood Integrity Coalition, et al. | S.D. New York (USA) | 9 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to show cause | — | — | |
|
The Court found two quotations in the Plaintiffs' memorandum that do not appear in the cited federal opinions and ordered counsel to explain and certify review of all cited cases before deciding whether to impose further sanctions. |
|||||||||
| Kim Elizabeth Harwell v. WestCare Nevada, Inc. | D. Nevada (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Kattom v. Bondi | W.D. Louisiana (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Lawyer | ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary sanction | 1000 USD | — | |
| Hatch v. College Ave Student Loans | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Zack Jones v. Target Corporation | D. Oregon (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Recommended granting terminating sanctions and dismissal of the case | — | — | |
|
Recommendations are here, and were later adopted. |
|||||||||
| Andre Lamont Goddard, Jr. v. City University of Seattle | D. District of Columbia (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(5)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Dewayne Clark v. CoreCivic | W.D. Oklahoma (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Sai Malena Jimenez-Fogarty v. Thomas Fogarty | S.D. New York (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Hallucination treated it as non-existent | — | — | |
| Gregory J. Van Etten v. Stephanie K. Fattman, et al. | D. Massachusetts (USA) | 6 March 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
other
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Warning |
|||||||||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||