Lawyer Fined for AI 'Hallucinations' in Court Filing

A New Mexico attorney has been sanctioned for submitting court documents containing fabricated testimony generated by artificial intelligence. Stephen Aarons was fined $5,000 and held in contempt by the New Mexico Supreme Court for a filing that included made-up witness statements.

Aarons stated he used ChatGPT to summarize trial proceedings for an appeal but did not grasp the AI's tendency to 'hallucinate' facts. The court highlighted his lack of remorse and concern for his client, referring him to an attorney disciplinary board.

This incident is among a growing number of cases where lawyers have faced discipline for inadequately vetting AI-generated legal documents. Aarons' case stands out for including fabricated witness testimony, going beyond miscited cases or misquoted law.

The appeal Aarons was handling was for Oscar Renee Sandoval, convicted of murder. The fabricated details in the filing reportedly included descriptions of the shooter's attire. Aarons told the court he assumed the AI would produce a "bulletproof summary."