The record

Where automated decisions went wrong

Incidents gathered from public reporting around the world. Each one links to the articles it came from. None of it is a finding that anyone broke the law.

Reports people file about their own experience are not shown here and never will be without their agreement. Tell us what happened to you.

Clear

142 incidents closest to “CoCounsel Legal” · matched on meaning · public reporting

WF-WO14ER10 Jul 2026

Akerlund v. Atlas Air, Inc., et al. (11th Cir. CA): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Bar Referral

The system generated fake legal citations that were included in a court filing, potentially misleading the court and prejudicing the client's case.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-5TUURF1 Jun 2026

Heriberto Perez-Castillo v. Todd W. Blanche (7th Cir. CA): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Sanction; Admonishment; Bar Referral

The AI generated false legal citations and quotations in an appellate brief, misleading the court and harming the client's immigration appeal.

1 source article · read the reporting →

TOV Realty, LLC v. Suarez; Kosel Equity, LLC v. MacGregor (SC Connecticut): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, 6 hours CLE;…

The AI generated legal briefs containing fabricated citations, which were submitted to the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Company involved
GLG Law LLC
AI system involved
ChatGPT

1 source article · read the reporting →

Mazaheri v Law Society of Ontario (Law Society Tribunal (ON)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Adverse Costs Order

AI generated fabricated legal citations in a court filing by Shahryar Mazaheri.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-QJLLJJ14 Jul 2026

In re Rosslyn2016, LLC, et al. (S.D. Texas (Bankruptcy)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, CLE on generative AI; Civil Contempt;…

The AI generated fabricated legal citations that were submitted to the bankruptcy court.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-OUDOEJ14 Sep 2026

Henry v. Long Island University (E.D. New York): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Two-year filing-disclosure sanction

The court granted a motion to dismiss and imposed sanctions on plaintiff's counsel for submitting a brief with AI-hallucinated fake cases.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-1FBZ1K11 Jun 2026

Quinteros v. Harbor Distributing, LLC (CA California (1d)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Sanction; Bar referral

AI generated hallucinated legal citations that were filed in court, misleading the court and opposing counsel.

Company involved
Lipeles Law Group

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-PC7X5F12 Aug 2026

JMOR Properties v. Artist Alley Townhomes et al. (CA Florida (4d)): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Bar Referral

The AI generated fabricated legal citations that were included in a court filing, affecting the court and the opposing party.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-E49EWD9 Sep 2026

Beus Gilbert PLLC v. Brigham Young University et al. (D. Utah): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Two AI-ethics CLE courses;…

The AI system generated fake legal citations that were included in a court filing, misleading the court and opposing counsel.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-P5UO9B6 Aug 2026

In re BFI Waste Sys. of Tenn. (M.D. Tennessee): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Public reprimand; Monetary sanction

The AI generated false legal quotations that were submitted to the court in a legal brief.

Company involved
Ringger

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-F7YECE5 May 2026

Jessica Fuller v. Hyde School, et al. (D. Maine): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, CLE; Firm procedures and certification; Serve…

The AI generated fictitious legal citations that were submitted to the court in a legal filing.

AI system involved
ChatGPT or Claude

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-7BPMKL2 Jun 2026

Reaves Law Firm, PLLC v. Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, et al. (W.D. Tennessee): AI-hallucinated content in court…

The AI generated fictitious legal authorities and arguments that were filed in a court motion, misleading the court and opposing counsel.

Company involved
Reaves Law Firm, PLLC

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-AJLVH75 Aug 2026

Southland Homes & Real Estate and Investment, LLC v. Lam (SC California): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Sanctions; Bar…

The AI system generated legal briefs containing fabricated case citations, which were filed in court, affecting the court and the opposing party.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-HJ5SPP1 Dec 2024

Joyce Barber v. Lawrence J. Morawa, MD (CA Michigan): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Case remanded to consider sanctions; Bar…

AI-generated fake legal citations were submitted to the court, affecting the plaintiff's appeal and the defendant's legal costs.

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-DSAOTF14 May 2026

ООО «Точка опоры» v. ООО «ЦСС» (West Siberian District AC): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Monetary Fine

The AI system generated fake legal citations that were submitted to the court, resulting in a fine for contempt.

Company involved
ООО «ЦСС»

1 source article · read the reporting →

WF-3GK2BU6 Dec 2023

Lawyer used ChatGPT to cite fake cases in BC parenting application

In a British Columbia Supreme Court case, lawyer Chong Ke used ChatGPT to generate legal case citations for a notice of application in a parenting dispute. The citations were fictitious and were discovered by opposing counsel, who incurred costs investigating them. Ke later acknowledged the error, apologized, and withdrew the fake cases before the hearing. The court considered whether to order special costs against Ke personally.

AI system involved
ChatGPT

9 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-MCOWG76 May 2025

California judge sanctions law firms for using AI to generate fake legal citations

Two law firms submitted a supplemental brief containing fake legal citations generated by AI systems including Google Gemini and Westlaw's CoCounsel. Judge Michael Wilner imposed $31,000 in sanctions after discovering the citations were fabricated. The lawyers admitted using AI without proper review or disclosure.

Company involved
K&L Gates
AI system involved
Google Gemini, Westlaw Precision with CoCounsel

5 source articles · read the reporting →

Andrea Bartz and others sue Anthropic PBC over copyright

In August 2024, Andrea Bartz, Kirk Wallace Johnson and Charles Graeber filed a lawsuit against Anthropic PBC in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 501. Anthropic waived service, and the case was assigned to the court.

Company involved
Anthropic PBC

8 source articles · read the reporting →

Center for Investigative Reporting Sues OpenAI, Microsoft Over Copyright

The Center for Investigative Reporting, publisher of Mother Jones and Reveal, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft in federal court, alleging the companies used its copyrighted articles without permission or compensation to train their AI products. The nonprofit argues that the AI-generated summaries of its stories threaten journalism and violate the Copyright Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Company involved
OpenAI and Microsoft

6 source articles · read the reporting →

Publishers sue AI startup Cohere over alleged copyright infringement

A consortium of 14 publishers including Condé Nast, The Atlantic, and Forbes filed a lawsuit against Cohere, alleging that the generative AI startup engaged in massive, systematic copyright infringement by using at least 4,000 copyrighted works to train its AI models and display large portions of articles, harming referral traffic. Cohere denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit misguided and frivolous.

Company involved
Cohere
AI system involved
Cohere's AI models

8 source articles · read the reporting →

Tyrone Walker v. Juliane Pierre (CA Massachusetts): AI-hallucinated content in court filing, Struck from the record

The AI generated nonexistent legal citations that were included in a court filing, causing the court to strike them from the appellant's brief.

1 source article · read the reporting →

Kansas judge fines lawyers $12,000 for AI-generated fake citations in patent case

A Kansas federal judge fined four lawyers a total of $12,000 for filing court documents containing non-existent quotations and case citations generated by ChatGPT. The lawyers, representing patent holder Lexos Media IP, failed to verify the AI's output, which included hallucinated legal authorities. The judge imposed fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 and ordered one lawyer to report the incident to state disciplinary authorities. The sanctioned attorneys acknowledged the error and stated that firms should implement strict policies for AI use.

AI system involved
ChatGPT

2 source articles · read the reporting →

Ninth Circuit Sanctions Attorneys Over AI-Hallucinated Legal Briefs

The Ninth Circuit sanctioned immigration attorneys from Sethi Law Group after they filed briefs containing AI-generated false cases and quotations. The court imposed monetary sanctions, a six-month suspension from Ninth Circuit practice, and referred the matter to the California State Bar. The court also required future filings to disclose AI use and certify that all citations were verified. The case is Lnu v. Blanche.

Company involved
Sethi Law Group

2 source articles · read the reporting →

WF-MMTM3T1 Nov 2025

Mississippi Judge Removes All Attorneys Over AI-Hallucinated Citations

In Withers v. City of Aberdeen, a contract dispute, both sides' attorneys submitted briefs containing fabricated case citations generated by AI tools. The court identified six non-existent citations and sanctioned all four attorneys, revoking pro hac vice admissions, imposing fines, and referring them to state bars. The drafting attorneys had used AI research and drafting tools without verifying outputs, while local counsel signed filings without review. The ruling emphasises that attorneys cannot delegate verification duties to AI and that ignorance of AI risks is no defence.

AI system involved
First Drafts

2 source articles · read the reporting →

← Newerpage 5 of 6Older →