ChatGPT-using lawyer punished for citing fake testimony from made-up witnesses
“I didn’t know that AI could hallucinate facts,” New Mexico defense lawyer says.
TL;DR
- Stephen Aarons, a New Mexico lawyer, used ChatGPT to generate a legal brief, which included false testimony from fabricated witnesses.
- The New Mexico Supreme Court held Aarons in direct contempt for submitting the brief with "false testimony from wholly fabricated witnesses" and misrepresenting legal authority.
- Aarons admitted he did not verify the factual claims or legal authority generated by ChatGPT before filing the brief and did not inform his client of the errors.
- The court fined Aarons $5,000 and referred him to a disciplinary board, emphasizing that lawyers are responsible for verifying information regardless of the source, including AI tools.
- Justices criticized Aarons' claim of ignorance regarding AI hallucinations, noting that such issues have been widely reported for years, and stressed that his actions severely impacted his client.