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3w ago

UK High Court Warns Lawyers of Severe Sanctions for AI-Generated Fake Case Law

Recent rulings highlight lawyers facing fines or criminal charges after AI tools generated non-existent precedents in courts worldwide

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A message reading "AI artificial intelligence," a keyboard and robot hands are seen in this illustration created on January 27, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
A gold statue of Lady Justice sits on top of the central criminal court on the 11th of March 2025 in London, United Kingdom. The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales (photo by Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The High Court ruled that presenting AI-generated false legal material can amount to contempt of court or the criminal offence of perverting the course of justice
  • In a £89 million damages claim against Qatar National Bank, 18 of 45 cited cases were found to be entirely fabricated by generative AI
  • Dame Victoria Sharp stated that existing guidance is insufficient and called on legal regulators to implement practical measures against AI misuse
  • The Law Society of England and Wales warned that AI ‘hallucinations’ require lawyers to rigorously check and verify all research produced by generative tools
  • In the US, two New York attorneys were fined $5,000 and one lawyer was referred to a federal appeals panel for citing ChatGPT-made-up precedents