Verify AI-generated citations or face sanctions
Verify AI-generated citations or face sanctions
Publish Date: 2026-03-12 23:08:00
Source Domain: cbs6albany.com
ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Artificial intelligence tools are becoming increasingly common in high-stakes professions such as law, where accuracy is essential. But courts are warning attorneys that relying too heavily on the technology can lead to serious consequences.
Across the country, there have been many instances where attorneys have faced sanctions after submitting court filings that cited legal cases generated by artificial intelligence that did not actually exist.
“Attorneys have been sanctioned for using AI and it is just made up case law,” said attorney Rory Safir.
Judges are increasingly encountering court filings that include nonexistent case citations or misquoted legal precedents generated by AI tools.
Legal professionals say mistakes like that can carry serious professional consequences.
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“It can cause repercussions in the professional responsibility world,” attorney George LaMarche said. “Obviously, fines or monetary penalties for the lawyer. But the most important thing that’s going to impact is a lawyer’s reputation.”
LaMarche added that relying blindly on artificial intelligence can also harm clients.
“It’s not fair to the client when a lawyer just feeds something into AI to get an answer,” he said.
A recent federal case in New York highlights those risks. In Flycatcher Corporation v. Affable Avenue, a judge imposed severe sanctions after determining the defendant’s attorney repeatedly cited fabricated legal cases in court filings, despite warnings to stop. The judge ultimately entered a default judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, effectively causing the defendants to lose the case because of their attorney’s conduct.
Experts say the case underscores the limits of artificial intelligence in professions that rely on human judgment.
MORE: Think twice before asking AI for legal advice, attorneys warn
But because the systems generate responses based on patterns in…
