New Mexico court finds ChatGPT generated fake police testimony

The New Mexico Supreme Court has ruled that an attorney improperly used ChatGPT to generate fabricated police testimony during a murder appeal. The court determined that the artificial intelligence tool invented statements that were presented as evidence, leading to significant legal consequences for the lawyer involved.

The incident occurred when the attorney submitted a brief containing false information generated by the AI. Upon discovering that the testimony did not exist in the official record, the court took disciplinary action against the practitioner for failing to verify the accuracy of the filing.

As a result of the misconduct, the attorney has been ordered to pay a fine of US$5,000. Furthermore, the state’s high court has mandated that the lawyer be referred to an attorney disciplinary board for additional review and potential further sanctions.

This case highlights growing concerns within the legal profession regarding the use of generative AI tools in court filings. The ruling serves as a formal reminder that legal professionals are responsible for the veracity of all information submitted to the court, regardless of the technology used to draft their documents.