A New Mexico lawyer has been fined $5,000 and held in contempt after submitting a court brief containing fabricated witness testimony and false police evidence generated with help from ChatGPT.
The New Mexico Supreme Court said attorney Stephen Aarons failed to verify information in the filing and showed insufficient concern about the accuracy of material submitted on behalf of his client.
Aarons said he used ChatGPT to summarize trial records while preparing an appeal for Oscar Renee Sandoval, who was convicted of murdering the mother of his children and sentenced to life in prison. He said he did not understand how extensively the AI system could invent facts.
The court said the filing included fictional claims about witnesses and details such as the alleged shooter wearing dark pants and a white shirt. It also ordered that Aarons be referred to a disciplinary board for investigation.
Aarons said he regretted the mistake and hoped the disciplinary authorities would consider that it was unintentional.
The case adds to growing concerns over lawyers using AI generated material without checking its accuracy. Courts across the United States have already sanctioned lawyers for submitting fabricated legal citations and inaccurate case information generated by AI.
Sandoval’s appeal remains pending and has been reassigned to a New Mexico public defender.
Leave a comment