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 (558 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 developed 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwood v. County of Botetourt, Virginia, et al. | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 20 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Chakma v. Sushi Katsuei, Inc. | S.D. New York (USA) | 19 May 2026 | Lawyer | LexisNexis AI |
Fabricated
Doctrinal Work
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 2712 USD | — | |
| Herbert Brooks v. Lowes Home Centers LLC | W.D. Louisiana (USA) | 18 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(7)
|
Monetary Sanction; CLE | 1000 USD | ||
|
Order to show cause is here. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| Glenn Wilder and Others v. President & Fellows of Harvard College and Others | SC Massachussetts (USA) | 18 May 2026 | Lawyer | MX2.law |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 1000 USD | — | |
|
Source: Robert Freund
|
|||||||||
| Nikko D’Ambrosio v. Meta Platforms Inc. | CA 7th Cir. (USA) | 15 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Legal Norm
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Legal Norm
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
|
Source: Robert Freund
|
|||||||||
| In the Matter of Janelle Melissa Lewis, an attorney and counselor-at-law | App. Div. 1st Dept (NY) (USA) | 14 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction; Bar Suspension | 1500 USD | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Jane Doe 1, et al. v. Mount Saint Mary High School Corporation | W.D. Oklahoma (USA) | 13 May 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Public reprimand; Notice to client; Bar Self-Referral | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Joseph Guy v. AFGE | N.D. California (USA) | 13 May 2026 | Lawyer | Claude |
False Quotes
Case Law
(3)
|
Order to Explain | — | — | |
|
Counsel's subsequent explanation can be found here. |
|||||||||
| Henri Giovani Morales Jimenez v. Christopher Shanahan | E.D. New York (USA) | 12 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Outdated Advice
Overturned Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Jacobs v. Timberlake | CA Louisiana (5d) (USA) | 12 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| DeVore v. McCombie | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 11 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Explain | — | — | |
| William Louis Armstrong, III v. City of Milwaukee | E.D. Wisconsin (USA) | 11 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Court granted motion to file corrected reply brief, found no prejudice | — | — | |
|
The County's original reply brief included a fictitious case citation. The County discovered and filed a corrected brief the same day; the Court allowed the correction, found no prejudice, and declined to impose sanctions. |
|||||||||
| Coomer v. Lindell/MyPillow, Inc. (2) | D. Colorado (USA) | 7 May 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Order | 5000 USD | — | |
|
Order to Show Cause is here. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Volokh
|
|||||||||
| Kristina Crist v. Roy Chris West, et al. | W.D. Oklahoma (USA) | 7 May 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Public reprimand; Notice to client; Monetary Sanction | 250 USD | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Song Dow Lee, et al. v. HSBC Bank USA, National Association, et al. | C.D. California (USA) | 7 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Gregoire v. Board of Trustees of SF BART | N.D. California (USA) | 6 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction; Serve Order on client and Bar; CLE | 1000 USD | — | |
|
Order to Show Cause is here. Counsel failed to answer. |
|||||||||
|
Source: Robert Freund
|
|||||||||
| Jessica Fuller v. Hyde School, et al. | D. Maine (USA) | 5 May 2026 | Lawyer | Claude or ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
CLE; Firm procedures and certification; Serve Order to plaintiff; Brief struck | — | — | |
| Moore v. MC Architects Inc., et al. | D. Hawai'i (USA) | 5 May 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 1000 USD | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Van Deel v. A-Plus Contracting, LLC | Missouri CA (USA) | 5 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Barber v. Morawa | CA Michigan (USA) | 5 May 2026 | Lawyer | Claude, ChatGPT, Westlaw, Lexis |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Admonishment in court | — | — | |
|
See recording of oral hearing from 5 May 2026. |
|||||||||
| Regan Wilkes, et al. v. Canyons School District, et al. | D. Utah (USA) | 4 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | 7000 USD | — | |
|
Order to Show Cause is here. |
|||||||||
| Richard Paul Smith v. Verra Mobility Corporation et al. | M.D. Florida (USA) | 1 May 2026 | Lawyer | ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Notify Client | — | — | |
|
Order to Show Cause is here. |
|||||||||
| Johnny Fuselier v. John S. Riscassi | S.D. Mississippi (USA) | 1 May 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Carpenters’ Regional Council v Wealthridge Construction Ltd et al. | Ontario LRB (Canada) | 1 May 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| Braun v. Day | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Show Cause Order | — | ||
| Fadi El Bitar v. Julio Hernandez | W.D. Washington (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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 | — | — | |
| Jane Doe v. Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners | D. Maryland (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| 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 | — | |
| 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 | — | |
| Tunstall v. Alabama Department of Corrections | N.D. Alabama (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
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
|
|||||||||
| 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). |
|||||||||
| Mrs Sabrena Rodney v Gee'z Micro Bar & Pitstop & Others | County Court at Dudley (UK) | 23 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Misrepresented
Case Law
(4),
other
(1)
|
SRA Referral | — | — | |
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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
|
|||||||||
| 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 | — | — | |
| Jamie Lee Saunders v. Albertsons/Safeway, LLC | D. Colorado (USA) | 16 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Cynthia White v. Walmart, Inc. | S.D. Indiana (USA) | 14 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
Misrepresented
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Robert Freund
|
|||||||||
| Langen v. The Owners, Strata Plan EPS5455 | BC CRT (Canada) | 14 April 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| Mutzarei Hashmal v. Beer Ya'akov | Ashdod Magistrate Court (Israel) | 13 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 5000 ILS | — | |
| Bruno Roberto Rodriguez v. Kathryn Louise Rodriguez | CA Florida 6th (USA) | 10 April 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |