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 (831 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sana Hazina Butler v. Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC | S.D. New York (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Mercy Wellington v. City of New York | S.D. New York (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Faisal Rahman v. Michael J. Burton, et al. | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Jamal Berry v. Early Warning Services | E.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Darrin L. Johnson, Jr. v. Nationstar Mortgage, LLC, et al. | D. Maryland (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Burnside v. Verdick, et al. | S.D. Iowa (USA) | 30 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(6)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Nisland Asset Investment, LLC v. Carissa Ann Gericke | CA Iowa (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Issues deemed waived for failure to provide valid supporting authority | — | — | |
| Bathsheba Nichole Adams v. Kiewit Infrastructure West Company, et al. | D. Arizona (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Motion Struck; Warning | — | — | |
| In re W.B. | CA California (5d) (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied | — | Warning | — | — | |
| In the Matter of Ikechukwu H. Okorie | CA 5th Cir. (USA) | 29 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Brandon Rulund Akins v. Tashi Latwon Ratliff, et al. | M.D. North Carolina (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(9)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Pate v. CMG Mortgage, Inc., et al. | E.D. Tennessee (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Louis L. Ligon III v. Meta Platforms, Inc. | N.D. Cal. (USA) | 28 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied | — | Court noted many misstatements of law in the AI-assisted filing but declined to treat Plaintiff's use of AI as an independent basis for discounting the response; cautioned Plaintiff to review AI-assisted filings. No sanctions imposed. | — | — | |
|
Defendant argued Plaintiff improperly used AI to draft his response, producing many misstatements of law. The court agreed that many citations did not support Plaintiff's propositions but expressly found the response contained no hallucinated or fabricated citations and therefore did not independently penalize or discount the filing on the basis of AI use. The court cautioned the pro se plaintiff to ensure accuracy of AI-assisted filings.
|
|||||||||
| Ali Behroz Aziz, et al. v. United States of America, et al. | D. Maryland (USA) | 27 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Page Limits and Warning | — | — | |
| Moore v. Wireless CCTV LLC | S.D. Texas (USA) | 27 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Marble v. O'Malley | M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 27 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1),
Doctrinal Work
(1),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Margolles v. The Owners, Strata Plan VR 2477 | BC CRT (Canada) | 27 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Argument ignored | — | — | |
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| Rhonda L. H.-B. v. Commissioner of Social Security | S.D. New York (USA) | 27 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(2)
|
Warning; Refiling Allowed | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Ryan-Michael Jarvis v. County of Teton Wyoming | 10th Cir. CA (USA) | 24 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| United States v. Jose Marquez | CA 5th Cir. (USA) | 24 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Joann Crawford v. Buffalo Creek Properties, LLC | CA Texas (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2),
Doctrinal Work
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Philip D. Dennison v. June Caudill et al. | S.D. Indiana (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Fatima Meziane v. Abdelouahab Aitouche | CA Maryland (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
| Gunter v. Contango ORE, Inc., et al. | D. Alaska (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(3)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| O.K., LLC v. Melka | CA California (2d) (USA) | 23 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Meyer v. Castroville State Bank | CA Texas (4th Dist.) (USA) | 22 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
| Alishia Monique Jones v. Ahmed Taylor, et al. | E.D. Michigan (USA) | 22 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | ||
| In re the Marriage of Joanne Rodrigues and Nathan Craig | CA California (6d) (USA) | 22 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(9)
|
— | — | ||
| Daniel D’Agostino v. Circle K Stores Incorporated, et al. | D. Arizona (USA) | 22 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Boonstra v Edmonton (City) | Court of King’s Bench of Alberta (Canada) | 21 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | ChatGPT |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| Arthur West v. Lower Duwamish Waterway Group | CA Washington (USA) | 20 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Essandoh v. Capital One Bank | E.D. Texas (USA) | 16 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified | — | Warning | — | — | |
| Stance Strong and Kinisha Strong v. Zubha Pop Foods LLC d/b/a Popeyes Chicken | CA Illinois (1d) (USA) | 15 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Centient AI |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Brief Struck | — | — | |
| Amit Arora v Canadian National Railway | Federal Court (Canada) | 15 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| In the Marriage of: Sarah Lynn Nelson | CA Minnesotta (USA) | 15 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Matter of: LOGMET LLC, B-423066.2 | GAO (USA) | 15 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: David Timm
|
|||||||||
| Fofanah v. Rockwall Rental Properties | CA Texas (5d) (USA) | 15 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Zand v. Sukumar | CA California (1d) (USA) | 14 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Michael T-Alexander v. Michelle Baass et al. | CA California (6d) (USA) | 14 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
Admonishment | — | — | |
| Brian Smith v. TD Auto Finance LLC, et al. | N.D. Mississippi (USA) | 14 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Shaw v. City of Portola, et al. | E.D. California (USA) | 14 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(5)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| H.B. v. Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario | HRTO (Canada) | 14 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
Ordered applicant to provide digital copies of all case law they intend to rely on | — | — | |
|
Source: Courtready
|
|||||||||
| State of Ohio v. Abdullah M. Alqahtani | 3d Dist (USA) | 13 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1),
Legal Norm
(1)
|
— | — | ||
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Allen v. Hunt | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 13 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Avalon Holdings Corp. v. Guy Gentile | S.D. New York (USA) | 10 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Steven Nemec v. Kelsey Kanoelani Alao and Alyssa Jade Alao | D. Oregon (USA) | 10 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
|
— | — | ||
| Ifeoma Delliane Chinedu Obi v. Cook County, Illinois, et al. | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 9 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Brief Struck; Monetary Sanction | 4999 USD | — | |
|
(Sanction was initially 9,750 USD, but court later corrected the order, reducing the amount to 5000 USD. No explanation was given.) |
|||||||||
| Robert S. Hulvat v. Juli Gumina, STG Divorce Law, and Jennifer B. Hulvat | CA Illinois (3d) (USA) | 9 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction | 3178 USD | — | |
|
Source: Jesse Schaefer
|
|||||||||
| Pleasant v. Burns | N.D. Alabama (USA) | 8 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| James C. Young; Tahnee R. Young v. Happy Money | CA 8th Circuit (Bankruptcy) (USA) | 8 April 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||