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 (1150 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)
Juandel Pena and Martina Ruiz v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. S.D. Florida (USA) 19 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Johnson v. Florida Department of Juvenile Justice et al M.D. Florida (USA) 19 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Brief Struck
In re: Marrett D. Massachusetts (USA) 19 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Bixler v. Church of Scientology CA California (USA) 19 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to show cause
Kosel Equity v. McGregor SC Connecticut (USA) 19 February 2026 Lawyer ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Allowed to refile brief

Hallucinations introduced during formatting of legal brief; counsel explained what happened here.

Fletcher v. Experian Information Solutions & Bridgecrest Credit Company CA Fifth Circuit (USA) 18 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Monetary Sanction 2500
Kendle Mardis v. Dealer Loyalty Protection, Inc., et al. D. Ohio (USA) 18 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
EFD USA, INC., et al. v. Band Pro Film and Digital, Inc., et al. CA California (USA) 18 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (6)
Monetary Sanction 900 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Kennon v. Ashley D. Kansas (USA) 18 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Exhibits or Submissions (3)
False Quotes Exhibits or Submissions (6)
Order to Show Cause

Plaintiff's counsel repeatedly quoted passages purportedly from defendants' depositions that the court found do not appear in the cited transcript pages; the court treated the pattern as egregious and ordered counsel to show cause under Rule 11.

Source: Jesse Schaefer
Shaerica L. Walder v. Experian Information Solutions E.D. Texas (USA) 18 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
David Martin v. ODS Community Dental Insurance et al. D. Oregon (USA) 18 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Matter of: Adapt Forward, LLC GAO (USA) 18 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Warning
N… R… c. M… S… Québec SC (Canada) 18 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
False Quotes Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (1)
Warning
Source: Courtready
Nia Elan Davis v. American Airlines, et al. D. Arizona (USA) 17 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Alejandro Rios v. Puente Hills Ford CA California (USA) 17 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
HDO v MDF CA Alberta (Canada) 17 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
CHP 1010 McDowell et al. v. James Costello Turpen D. Colorado (Bankruptcy) (USA) 17 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction Litigation N.D. California (USA) 17 February 2026 Expert Unidentified
Fabricated Doctrinal Work (1)
Misrepresented other (1)
Court declined to exclude the expert based on the AI-generated/incorrect citations; issue reserved for cross-examination; motion to exclude denied.

Defendants contended that Dr. Brian Osborne relied on nonexistent academic articles and miscited sources generated by an AI citation tool. Plaintiffs said the errors were formatting miscites from an AI citation tool and were corrected. The Court declined to exclude Osborne's opinions on this basis, permitting defendants to explore the issue on cross-examination and barring any regurgitation of hearsay at trial.

14095863 Canada Inc. v Abercrombie & Fitch Trading Co. Canadian IPO (Canada) 17 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Exhibits or Submissions (1), Legal Norm (1)
Source: Courtready
Brightwaters Energy Limited v Eroton Exploration and Production Company Limited High Court (UK) 17 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Deblois v. Procureur Général Federal Court (Canada) 16 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Source: Courtready
Rinaldi v Department of Justice (Right to Information and Privacy) Queensland CAT (Australia) 16 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Appeal dismissed
Martha Liliana Picon-Diaz et al. v. Pamela J. Bondi CA Tenth Circuit (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Landmark Development Group, LLC v. Lonnie LuPardus CA Kansas (USA) 13 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Arguments deemed waived
AC739-2026 CSJ (Colombia) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (10)
Misrepresented Case Law (1), Legal Norm (2)
Temeridad declaration; monetary fine; bar referral 1
In re: Telexfree Securities Litigation D. Massachusetts (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Order to Show Cause
Nydia Rosario v. Liberty Mutual Personal Insurance Company E.D. Pennsylvania (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (5)
Obligation to share decision with firm
Report
Defendant's Brief
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Lindsey Newell v. The Law Offices of Travis R. Walker, et al. S.D. Florida (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Merz v. City of Kalama W.D. Washington (USA) 13 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)

Merz corrected the Sorensen citation, saying he intended to cite Norg v. City of Seattle, 200 Wn.2d 749 (2023). The court declined to dismiss based solely on the inaccurate citation, noted the replacement authority was not closely analogous, and proceeded to dismiss the claims on the merits.

Creditors Adjustment Bureau, Inc. v. All Season Power LLC, et al. C.D. California (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (3)
Warning
Source: Volokh
G2 Ops, Inc. GAO (USA) 13 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Andre Legarza v. Northern Star (Alaska), Inc. D. Alaska (USA) 12 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
City of Dickinson v. Helgeson SC North Dakota (USA) 12 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (15)
500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
TQJ, LLC v. Jennifer Esquivel et al. C.D. California (USA) 12 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (4)
Order to Show Cause
Report
Plaintiff's Reply
Virgil v. Experian Information Solutions, et al. S.D. Indiana (USA) 12 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (11)
Misrepresented Case Law (4)
Magistrate recommended Monetary Sanction and Bar Referral 1
Seifert v. Nationstar Mortgage LLC, et al. D. Idaho (USA) 12 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Ploni v. Log-On Software Ltd. et al. Regional Labor Court of Tel Aviv-Jaffa (Israel) 12 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 2500 ILS
CVTEK, LLC (B-423943; B-423943.2) GAO (USA) 12 February 2026 Lawyer Westlaw CoCounsel
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
City of Dickinson v. Helgeson SC North Dakota (USA) 12 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (5)
Monetary sanction 500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
RYJZ and Commissioner of Taxation (Taxation) ART Australia (Australia) 12 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Jones v. Family Court at Whangarei Supreme Court (New Zealand) 11 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
Flora Chumpitaz-Morales v. Pamela J. Bondi CA Tenth Circuit (USA) 11 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
Keith Powell v. Employment Dep. & First Congregational Church of Portland CA Oregon (USA) 11 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction 500 USD
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Thomas Carl Dodds, Jr. v. Carrie Bridges CA Tenth Circuit (USA) 11 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant ChatGPT
Fabricated Case Law (2)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Alamleh c. R. SC Quebec (Canada) 11 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2), Legal Norm (1)
Misrepresented Exhibits or Submissions (1)
Tabitha Alberti v. District of Columbia D. DC (USA) 10 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Labonte v. Bokf, et al. D. Colorado (USA) 10 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Warning
United States v. Clint Travis Rodgers W.D. Missouri (Central Division) (USA) 10 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (4)
Admonishment
Morcos v Bayside Council IRC New South Wales (Australia) 10 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Caso No. 0000140/2025-00 TSJ Gran Canaria (Spain) (Spain) 10 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1), other (1)
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Monetary Sanction; Bar Referral 420 EUR