Birmingham Lawyers Sanctioned for Misuse of AI in Court Filings
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — In a striking move, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco reprimanded three attorneys from the Butler Snow law firm for using ChatGPT to generate court documents containing fabricated case citations. The lawyers, led by William R. Lunsford, along with Matthew B. Reeves and William J. Cranford, are facing serious consequences for this misconduct.
Judge Manasco’s sanctions order, issued Wednesday, describes the fabrication of legal authority as "serious misconduct that demands a serious sanction." The court has removed the trio from the ongoing case in which the false citations were presented during litigation over Alabama’s prison system. The judge has also mandated that the sanctions order be shared with clients, opposing legal teams, and judges across all their cases. Additionally, the issue has been referred to the Alabama State Bar for potential disciplinary action.
Butler Snow has been representing Alabama in various lawsuits related to its prison system, receiving over $40 million in fees since 2020, according to state spending records. During prior hearings, attorneys from the firm expressed regret, explaining that an associate relied on artificial intelligence to research legal precedents but did not validate the accuracy of the AI-generated information. This oversight led to what Manasco termed “hallucinations”—complete fabrications of legal citations.
The disputed filings were part of a lawsuit involving an inmate who had been stabbed multiple times at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility, highlighting existing concerns over inmate safety and the responsibilities of prison officials. The judge’s firm stance serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining ethical standards in legal practice, especially in an era increasingly shaped by technology.
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