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Judges find suspected AI hallucinations in PA court cases
Judge Matthew Wolf identified numerous citation errors in an appellate brief, prompting review and potential sanctions amid rising concerns about artificial intelligence use in legal filings.
- On Dec. 10, oral argument began before Commonwealth Court Judge Matthew Wolf after veteran attorneys filed an error-filled appellate brief prompting questions about possible AI use, with Thomas Breth and Thomas W. King III presenting for the Thomas More Society.
- Researcher Damien Charlotin's database found at least 13 Pennsylvania cases with AI hallucinations, while Thomas Breth described the brief as a collaborative effort, raising verification concerns.
- Commonwealth Court Judge Matthew Wolf interrupted to list the brief's citation problems, saying he double-checked the brief, which wrongly attributes a quote to the 2010 ruling Bayada Nurses, Inc. v. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Labor and Industry.
- The filings could trigger sanctions or fines from Commonwealth Court, and opposing counsel may refer the matter, prompting investigations by the Office of disciplinary counsel and state Supreme Court disciplinary board.
- Legal authorities emphasize disclosure and verification if AI assists in drafting filings, with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and the American Bar Association saying thorough fact-checking is essential, while experts warn errors can erode lawyer credibility and increase judicial skepticism.
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13 Articles
Judges find suspected AI hallucinations in PA court cases
Veteran attorneys with a track record of arguing high-profile cases submitted an error-filled brief to one of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts, raising questions from a judge about their use of artificial intelligence. When attorneys submit a brief with errors, whether AI-generated or otherwise, that is already a serious problem. But this happening in a case before Commonwealth Court is even more concerning, said David A. Harris, a professor at t…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 33%
C 56%
11%
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