Judge Weighs Sanctions on Attorneys Using AI in Prison Case Filings
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., (AP)—A federal judge indicated on Wednesday that she might impose penalties on attorneys from an expensive law firm retained to represent Alabama’s prison system. The reason for this potential sanction is their use of ChatGPT to draft two court documents containing fictitious legal references.
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco conducted a hearing in Birmingham to interrogate lawyers from the Butler Snow law firm regarding their submissions. During the proceeding, she pointed out that there were five incorrect references in two pleadings filed in federal court. Additionally, Judge Manasco mentioned that such inaccuracies have occurred nationwide.
broad warnings from courts
about the use of
artificial intelligence
To create legal documents due to the risk of errors.
Manasco mentioned that she is contemplating various penalties, such as monetary fines. She instructed the company to submit a legal statement to the court within ten days.
The attorneys from Butler Snow law firm continuously offered apologies throughout the hearing.
They mentioned that a managing partner, Matt Reeves, utilized ChatGPT for researching relevant case laws but failed to confirm the accuracy of this data prior to incorporating it into two submissions made to the federal court. These references later proved to be “fabrications” – essentially inaccurate citations – generated by the AI tool. The documentation was endorsed by four lawyers, including Reeves himself.
“Butler Snow is ashamed of what occurred here, as it went against sound judgement and strict policies. There can be no justification for employing ChatGPT to acquire legal standing without verifying the information it supplied, even if intended to uphold solid legal doctrines,” stated the firm’s attorneys in their reply to the judge.
Reeves informed the judge that he solely bore responsibility for the inaccurate citations and added, “I sincerely hope you wouldn’t hold this against my coworkers.”
Alabama has spent millions of dollars with the firm to represent the state prison system and its officials in various lawsuits. This includes defending the state as a defendant in a Department of Justice case which claims that male prisoners face brutal and harsh circumstances.
The documents in dispute stem from a legal case brought forth by an incarcerated individual who suffered multiple stabbings at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility located in Jefferson County. The filing asserts that corrections personnel are not adequately ensuring the safety of prisoners.
Manasco similarly called into question Bill Lunsford, who leads the Butler Snow branch dealing with prison-related lawsuits and was responsible for signing the documents. The role of Deputy Attorney General has been bestowed upon Lunsford by Alabama’s Attorney General due to his representation of the state in legal proceedings.
In his reply to the judge, Lunsford stated that he briefly went through the documents prior to submission but did not conduct an extensive examination, as they had already been evaluated by Reeves. He informed the judge that the company has taken initiative in alerting attorneys regarding the constraints associated with artificial intelligence usage.
Kim Chandler from The Associated Press