Lawyer Sanctioned After AI Generates Fake Witnesses in Murder Appeal
A New Mexico defense attorney’s use of artificial intelligence in a murder appeal has landed him in trouble. The state’s Supreme Court last week held attorney Stephen Aarons in direct contempt of court for submitting a brief with “false testimony from wholly fabricated witnesses,” according to a court order filed Sept. 9. The court referred […] The post Lawyer Sanctioned After AI Generates Fake…
New Mexico's Supreme Court has sanctioned a defense attorney, Stephen Aarons, after his AI-generated brief contained fabricated witnesses in a murder appeal. The court found Aarons in contempt of court, expressing disbelief that he was unaware of the potential for AI to produce false information. The court referred Aarons to a disciplinary board, noting his lack of remorse and concern for his client.
During a hearing, Aarons admitted to not verifying the factual claims and legal authority in his AI-generated brief and failing to inform his client of these inaccuracies. Aarons claimed he relied on the popularity of AI in legal and medical fields. Justice C. Shannon Bacon criticized Aarons for either being uninformed or taking a risk, both of which are inconsistent with the code of conduct.
The ruling comes as AI use in the legal field remains a topic of debate, with law schools banning its use in classrooms and generative AI adoption in corporate legal departments nearly doubling in the past year.
Written by urgent.news from PYMNTS's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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