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 (98 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 developed 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.

Click to Download CSV
Last updated: 12 May 2026
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)
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
In re W.B. CA California (5d) (USA) 29 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied Warning
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
Louis L. Ligon III v. Meta Platforms, Inc. N.D. California (USA) 28 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
O.K., LLC v. Melka CA California (2d) (USA) 23 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
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
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)
Robert Harris v. Elementis Specialties, Inc. C.D. California (USA) 17 April 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1)
Warning
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
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
That Xiong v. Minga Wofford E.D. California (USA) 9 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Order to Show Cause
Thanh Nguy v. Jabil Inc. N.D. California (USA) 7 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
James Jordan v. USA, Clinicas Del Camino Real, Inc., et al. C.D. California (USA) 6 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Admonishment
Gamez v. County of Fresno E.D. California (USA) 6 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Legal Norm (1)
Order to Show Cause
Najafpir v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. N.D. California (USA) 3 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Claim dismissed with prejudice
Modern Floor Specialists, Inc. et al. v. City of Los Angeles et al. C.D. California (USA) 3 April 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Saqib Kafeel v. Apple Inc., et al. N.D. California (USA) 1 April 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Leonard Colbert v. County of Riverside C.D. California (USA) 31 March 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Admonishment
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Jared Ashcraft v. First-Citizens Bank and Trust Company, et al. C.D. California (USA) 25 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Dominique Lopez v. Mead Johnson Nutrition Company N.D. California (USA) 20 March 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Order to Show Cause
Anna Sheerer v. Thomas Panas CA California (d1) (USA) 19 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (2), Exhibits or Submissions (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
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
Arno Kuigoua v. Adam Michael Sacks CA California (2nd) (USA) 10 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (3)
Warning
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 re Lusine Hakhverdyan C.D. California (Bankruptcy) (USA) 3 March 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
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
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
Juan Villalovos-Gutierrez, et al. v. Gerard Van de Pol, et al. (2) E.D. California (USA) 24 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Order to Show Cause
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Zeus Realty Group LLC v. 1032 N Sycamore Owner LA, LLC et al C.D. California (USA) 23 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
False Quotes Case Law (1)
Source: Jesse Schaefer
Bixler v. Church of Scientology CA California (USA) 19 February 2026 Lawyer Unidentified
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Order to show cause
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
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
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.

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
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
Daniel James Cummins v. Moises Becerra E.D. California (USA) 9 February 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (5)
Order to Show Cause
Sebastian Rako v. VMware LLC (2) N.D. California (USA) 4 February 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Required meet-and-confer for AI-use disputes
Ava Naeini v. Confluent Inc. CA California (USA) 29 January 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
MacroCharts Research LLC v. Tony Chou N.D. California (USA) 26 January 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Warning
Source: Jesse Schaefer
That Xiong v. Minga Wofford E.D. California (USA) 22 January 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Order to inform client and staff of errors
Hang Zhang v. Daniel Driscoll N.D. California (USA) 14 January 2026 Pro Se Litigant Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (2)
Monetary Sanction 500 USD

Order to Show Cause is here.

Lindalbeth Lopez Hernandez v. Leanna Lundy E.D. California (USA) 14 January 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
(HC) Xiong v. Becerra et al. E.D. California (USA) 14 January 2026 Lawyer Implied
Fabricated Case Law (2)
Order to have staff read transcript where issue was discussed
Kjoller v. California CA California (USA) 14 January 2026 Prosecutor Implied
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Misrepresented Case Law (1), Legal Norm (1)
Order to show cause

See the story as recounted, e.g., here.

Heiting v. I Am Beyond LLC SC California (USA) 13 January 2026 Lawyer Implied
False Quotes Case Law (2)
Warning
Gharavi v. Google LLC N.D. California (USA) 12 January 2026 Lawyer Bloomberg Law
Fabricated Case Law (1)
Motion for Sanctions denied

Rodgers' declaration included a non-existent Wisconsin criminal case citation (reported by Bloomberg Law). Court found the error inadvertent, attributable to reliance on Bloomberg, and denied sanctions because conduct was neither reckless nor in bad faith.