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.
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 (528 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 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 
in the database for examples, and reach out to me if 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 | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deutsche Bank National Bank v. Jean LeTennier | SC New York (USA) | 8 January 2026 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Orders affirmed; monetary sanctions imposed (counsel $5,000; defendant $2,500) and costs awarded | 10000 USD | — | |
| Desmond Cunningham v. Pentagon Federal Credit Union, et al. | N.D. Mississippi (USA) | 7 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
All claims dismissed with prejudice; warning | — |
Plaintiff's Response
|
|
| Hector Salvatori v. The Huntington National Bank | S.D. Ohio (USA) | 7 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Hanlon v. Parkersburg City | CC Wood County, W.V. (USA) | 6 January 2026 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Request for injunctive relief dismissed | — | — | |
| Sammie Dwayne McPhaul v. College Hills OPCO | D. Kansas (USA) | 6 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(5)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Kettering Adventist Healthcare v. Sandra Collier, et al. | S.D. Ohio (USA) | 2 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(4)
|
Show Cause Order | — |
Defendant's Motion to Dismiss
|
|
| Source: Robert Freund | |||||||||
| Washburn v. Houston | Arizona CA (USA) | 2 January 2026 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Bar referral | — | — | |
|
Appellant Father's counsel submitted an opening brief containing misleading/inaccurate legal citations, mischaracterized case law, fabricated quotations attributed to Owen v. Blackhawk, and false quotations purportedly from the amended decree and hearing transcripts. The appellate court identified these errors, concluded they supported a potential ethics referral, and forwarded the decision to the State Bar for review. |
|||||||||
| Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency v. Bradley K. Bass, et al. | Massachusetts Land Court (USA) | 31 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Johnson v. Digital Federal Credit Union | N.D. Texas (USA) | 30 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— |
Plaintiff's Second Amended Complaint
|
||
| M.T. Real Estate Investment Inc. v. Servis One, Inc., et al. | D. Nevada (USA) | 30 December 2025 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(4),
Doctrinal Work
(1)
|
Briefs Struck; Adverse Costs Order; Bar Referral | — | — | |
| Pauliah v. University of Mississippi Medical Center | S.D. Mississippi (USA) | 30 December 2025 | Lawyer, Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Exhibits or Submissions
(2)
False Quotes
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
|
Monetary Sanction; CLE | 5000 USD | — | |
|
The plaintiff's sworn declaration contained multiple fabricated quotations and manufactured deposition citations. Defendants identified the fabrications in a motion to strike; the court found the declaration filed in bad faith, struck it, and imposed sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(h). The plaintiff admitted using generative AI to draft portions and failing to review the declaration; counsel failed to verify the citations despite attending and taking the depositions. |
|||||||||
| Ng v. AmGuard Insurance Company, et al. | S.D. New York (USA) | 29 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Court warned the pro se plaintiff that future filings containing nonexistent citations may result in sanctions (striking filings, filing restrictions, monetary penalties, or dismissal) and instructed parties to disclose and verify any use of generative AI per local rules. | — |
Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition
|
|
| In re S.A., D.H., and B.M., Minors | CA Illinois (USA) | 29 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(4)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Rachel Jones v. Experian Information Solutions, Inc. | E.D. Michigan (USA) | 29 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Cherleatha B. v. Frank Bisignano | D. South Carolina (USA) | 29 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Allen v. Amazon | N.D. Texas (USA) | 23 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
|
Amazon alleged that Allen's undisclosed use of AI produced non-existent case citations and hallucinated quotations; the court declined to sanction, warned Allen and required future compliance with local AI-disclosure rule. |
|||||||||
| Krystle J. Lyons v. Oak Harbor School District | W.D. Washington (Seattle) (USA) | 23 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Amended Complaint dismissed with prejudice. | — |
Plaintiff's Response
|
|
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Matter of: KE System Services, Inc. | GAO (USA) | 22 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Smith v. Clarence Smith et al. | N.D. New York (USA) | 22 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
Warning | — |
Plaintiff's Objection
|
|
| Levy v. Google LLC | W.D. Washington (USA) | 22 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2),
Exhibits or Submissions
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Donovan v. Clark County Assessor | Tax Court of Indiana (USA) | 22 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Billups v. Louisville Municipal School District | N.D. Mississippi (USA) | 19 December 2025 | Lawyer | Grok |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(3)
|
Counsel DQ'd; monetary sanction; obligatory audit of all past filings | — |
Plaintiff's Memorandum
|
|
|
The court also identified five other cases in which the same firm or attorney confessed having misused AI. This despite the attorneys attending CLE training |
|||||||||
| Disability Rights Mississippi v. Palmer Home for Children | N.D Mississippi (USA) | 19 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
False Quotes
Case Law
(5)
|
Monetary sanction; CLE requirement; notification to bar and other courts; attorney withdrawal. | 20883 USD |
Plaintiff's Memorandum
|
|
| Fantini v. WestRock Services, LLC | D. New Jersey (USA) | 19 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — |
Plaintiff's Cross Motion for Summary Judgment
|
|
| Gavin Simpson v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 19 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Legal Norm
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Robert Lafayette v. Alex Abrami et al | Vermont SC (USA) | 18 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Adverse Costs Order; Pre-Filing Injunction | 7361 USD | — | |
|
Order to show cause is here. |
|||||||||
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Christina Buenzli | CA California (USA) | 18 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(6)
False Quotes
Case Law
(3)
|
— | — | ||
| Gerou v. George, Whitten, and United States | E.D. Wisconsin (USA) | 18 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Edward Starski v. Chandler Holderness | CA Appeals (USA) | 18 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Wireless Investors LLC v. Semtech Incorporated, et al. | D. Arizona (USA) | 18 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Friend v. Serpa | CA Florida (USA) | 17 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Halpern v. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, et al. | N.D. Illinois (USA) | 17 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Russel Williams Home Services LLC v. Minleon International (USA) Limited LLC, et al. | M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 17 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Burlingame v. Argo Private Client Group, Ltd. et al. | S.D. New York (USA) | 17 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| L.A. Housing Outreach, LLC v. Medoff | CA California (USA) | 17 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Reply brief struck; monetary sanction; State Bar referral | 5070 USD | — | |
|
The court found that the majority of legal authorities in appellant counsel's reply brief were incorrect or did not support the propositions for which they were cited. The court struck the reply brief, imposed monetary sanctions of $5,070, and directed a copy of the opinion be forwarded to the State Bar. |
|||||||||
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Angelica E. Cruz et al. v. United States of America | C.D. California (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| In re Ricardo Andres Romeu | CA Texas (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Taylor v. Prince George’s County, Maryland | D. Maryland (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(2)
|
— |
Plaintiff's Response
|
||
| Dorsey v. Jones | Delaware C. Ch. (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Lawyer | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to certify future filings re: AI | — | — | |
| McMillian v. Zimmer US, Inc | S.D. New York (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
other
(1)
|
Adverse Costs Order | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Michael Redwine v. Unum Life Insurance Company of America | W.D. Virginia (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
— | — | ||
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Holmes Family Trust v. Multnomah County Assessor | Oregon Tax Court (USA) | 16 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||
| Liza Gardner v. Sean Combs, et al. | D. New Jersey (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
|
Monetary fine; Bar Referral; Order to serve order to Client | 6000 USD | — | |
|
Counsel had already been sanctioned in different case, and professed having gone through CLE on generative AI. |
|||||||||
| Source: Robert Freund | |||||||||
| Sayali Kulkarni & Abhijit Kulkarni v. Merit Systems Protection Board | CA Federal Circuit (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
|
Affirmed the Board; granted motions to strike the Kulkarnis' informal reply briefs containing the false citations/quotes | — |
Plaintiff's Informal Brief
|
|
| Lexos Media IP, LLC v. Overstock.com, Inc. | D. Kansas (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Lawyer | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Order to Show Cause | — | — | |
| Braica v. Frankowski (Anthony Braica v. Tom Frankowski) | D. Connecticut (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Implied |
Fabricated
Case Law
(2)
False Quotes
Case Law
(2)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(7)
Outdated Advice
Overturned Case Law
(1)
|
Briefs struck; warning | — | — | |
| Christina Garcia v. Atwater Elementary Teachers Association | California PERB (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(3)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Harvey v. Torrent Leasing & U.S. Bank | D. Nevada (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | ChatGPT |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Robert W. Williams, Sr. v. Assistant District Attorney John R. Canavan, et al. | M.D. Pennsylvania (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Warning | — | — | |
| Howell Management Services, LLC v. Vashisht-Rota | CA California (USA) | 15 December 2025 | Pro Se Litigant | Unidentified |
Fabricated
Case Law
(1)
False Quotes
Case Law
(1)
Misrepresented
Case Law
(1)
|
Fine and adverse costs order | 64235 USD | — | |
| Source: Jesse Schaefer | |||||||||