A Cautionary Tale in the Use of AI in Pleadings
By John Holevas
Trusts and Estates,
July 2025
At the 2025 Allerton Conference focusing on the impact of generative AI in legal practice, Judge Jeffrey A. Goffinet recounted a case where he sanctioned an attorney for citing a fictitious, AI-generated legal case—Hauter v. DeWitt. The case did not exist, and despite multiple opportunities, the attorney failed to acknowledge the mistake until compelled by the court. He later admitted the error stemmed from using an AI tool called "Archie," which mistakenly inserted the false citation. The court fined the attorney $2,000, and Judge Goffinet reported him to the ARDC. The incident underscores the need for lawyers to verify AI-generated content and to take responsibility for errors.
A Cautionary Tale in the Use of AI in Pleadings
By John Holevas
Commercial Banking, Collections, and Bankruptcy,
July 2025
At the 2025 Allerton Conference focusing on the impact of generative AI in legal practice, Judge Jeffrey A. Goffinet recounted a case where he sanctioned an attorney for citing a fictitious, AI-generated legal case—Hauter v. DeWitt. The case did not exist, and despite multiple opportunities, the attorney failed to acknowledge the mistake until compelled by the court. He later admitted the error stemmed from using an AI tool called "Archie," which mistakenly inserted the false citation. The court fined the attorney $2,000, and Judge Goffinet reported him to the ARDC. The incident underscores the need for lawyers to verify AI-generated content and to take responsibility for errors.
A Cautionary Tale in the Use of AI in Pleadings
By John Holevas
Civil Practice and Procedure,
June 2025
At the 2025 Allerton Conference focusing on the impact of generative AI in legal practice, Judge Jeffrey A. Goffinet recounted a case where he sanctioned an attorney for citing a fictitious, AI-generated legal case—Hauter v. DeWitt. The case did not exist, and despite multiple opportunities, the attorney failed to acknowledge the mistake until compelled by the court. He later admitted the error stemmed from using an AI tool called "Archie," which mistakenly inserted the false citation. The court fined the attorney $2,000, and Judge Goffinet reported him to the ARDC. The incident underscores the need for lawyers to verify AI-generated content and to take responsibility for errors.
Highlights from the 2025 Allerton Conference
Civil Practice and Procedure,
June 2025
The ISBA Allerton Conference: Generative Artificial Intelligence—Fact or Fiction: Transforming the Legal Practice was held April 2-5, 2025, at the I Hotel & Illinois Conference Center in Champaign, Illinois.
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