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 (721 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)
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
Nelson Lin v. The Honorable Jonathan H. Shim, et al. S.D. New York (USA) 6 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Joan Pablo Torres Campos v. Leslie Ann Munoz CA California (USA) 5 March 2026 Lawyer, Judge Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary sanction; Bar referral 5000 USD
Source: Robert Freund
In the Matter of the Estate of Kuerschner CA Arizona (USA) 5 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Adverse Costs Order 1
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Lawand Hill v. Sloppy Vinyl, LLC, et al. D. New Jersey (USA) 5 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Motion to dismiss granted; warning
Medal v. Amazon.com Services, LLC W.D. Washington (USA) 4 March 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Legal Norm (1)
Order to Show Cause
Ryan Adam Dixon v. MultiCare Health System W.D. Washington (USA) 4 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
Jeri'yah Ford v. Troy City School District, et al. N.D. New York (USA) 4 March 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
In the Matter of the Estate of CAROL M. CAREY CA Washington (USA) 3 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Adverse Costs Order 1 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
In re Lusine Hakhverdyan C.D. California (Bankruptcy) (USA) 3 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Derence V. Fivehouse v. United States Department of Defense et al. E.D. North Carolina (USA) 2 March 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (5), Legal Norm (2)
Court issued show-cause order and scheduled hearing to determine sanctions; no sanction imposed yet.

It was later reported that the prosecutor at stake resigned over the accident.

Hardy v. Whitaker E.D. Michigan (USA) 2 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Plaintiff's amended complaint dismissed with prejudice
Put A Bird On It, LLC v. Seattle Arena Holdings, LLC CA Washington (USA) 2 March 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Fabian Antonio Thomas v. Officer Skylar Sillivent, et al. E.D. Texas (USA) 2 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
In the Matter of the Estate of Arturo Lopez CA Arizona (USA) 27 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Horton v. Colvin CA Alabama (USA) 27 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Doctrinal Work (1)
Affirmed in part; reversed in part; remanded (libel claim as to “meth house” reversed for further proceedings).
Hicks v. City of Albany CA Georgia (USA) 26 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Warning
Perry v. Exeter Finance LLC D. Arizona (USA) 26 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
United States v. Robert Ponce, Jr. D. Nevada (USA) 26 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Volker v. Nygaard SC North Dakota (USA) 26 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Case dismissed with prejudice

The district court found Volker repeatedly submitted fictitious, AI-generated case citations and dismissed his action with prejudice as a Rule 11 sanction. The Supreme Court dismissed Volker's appeal as untimely, leaving the sanction and judgment in place.

Samuel K. v. Winsley Focia CA California (USA) 26 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), other (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Appeal dismissed; appellant to bear her own costs on appeal.
Estate of Khallid Muhammad et al v. Tupac Shakur Estate et al C.D. California (USA) 26 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Report
Brief
David Thomas v. The Quikrete Companies, LLC W.D. Texas (USA) 26 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Kettering Adventist Healthcare v. Sandra Collier, et al. S.D. Ohio (USA) 25 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (4)
Contempt Finding; Brief Struck; Monetary Sanction 7500 USD
Report
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss

OSC is here.

Source: Robert Freund
Christina Leas Dunn v. Nelnet W.D. Arkansas (USA) 25 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Roosevelt Hunt, Jr. v. True Sky Federal Credit Union D. Kansas (USA) 25 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
In re termination of parental rights (HK) CA Arizona (USA) 25 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Legal Norm (2)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Bar Referral
Straub v. Henderson DCA Florida (USA) 25 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied Affirmed.
Anthony Jama Hall v. Superior Court of Sacramento County CA California (USA) 25 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1), other (1)
Warning
Moses v. State CATennessee (USA) 25 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)

The court observed that Moses' brief contained several citation errors and at least one fictitious case. The court stated it would disregard any legal authorities it could not verify as authentic and proceeded to decide the appeal on the merits, ultimately affirming the Claims Commission's dismissal.

Chapter Kris Jackson v. BOK Financial Corporation et al. (3) N.D. Oklahoma (USA) 24 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Struck filings; Monetary sanction 405 USD