The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the justice system has raised concerns about its potential impact on the integrity of legal proceedings. A recent case involving US District Judge Anna Manasco highlights these concerns, as she considers sanctions against attorneys from high-priced law firm Butler Snow for misusing AI tool ChatGPT to generate court filings with false citations.
The incident occurred when partner Matt Reeves used ChatGPT to research case law, but failed to verify the information before adding it to the filings. This oversight led to the inclusion of non-existent cases and false citations in the documents. The judge has given the firm 10 days to file a brief and is considering fines as punishment for their actions, which were deemed against good judgment and firm policy.
The incident involving Butler Snow serves as a cautionary tale for law firms and attorneys who are increasingly turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to streamline their work. It highlights the need for careful vetting and verification of information generated by these tools, particularly in high-stakes cases like this one.