'Flat-Out Wrong': How One AI Outline Became a Federal Filing
A lawyer built an outline with AI, sent it to co-counsel at another firm without saying where it came from, and never checked one line. They filed it in Lacey v. State Farm: ten pages, twenty-seven citations, two of which did not exist. The special master's verdict on the AI first draft: 'flat-out wrong.'
From the full episode: His Co-Counsel Sent an AI Brief. He Filed It Without Reading. (EP10)
Full transcript
A lawyer built an outline with AI, then sent it to co-counsel at another firm, never saying where it came from, without checking one line. They filed it: ten pages, twenty-seven citations, two of which didn't exist. Here's how the sausage got made.
Using generative AI to generate the first draft of the brief was, quote, flat-out wrong. It's the most expensive game of telephone ever played, except in telephone the message just gets silly. In federal court, the message gets filed.
Sources
- 'Order re: Sanctions' (Doc. 119), Lacey v. State Farm General Insurance Co., No. 2:24-cv-05205-FMO-MAA (C.D. Cal.), Special Master Hon. Michael R. Wilner (ret.): full opinion (PDF)
- RECAP archive docket gov.uscourts.cacd.930490 (free public court record; the order above is Doc. 119).
- Full episode: His Co-Counsel Sent an AI Brief. He Filed It Without Reading. (EP10)