A New Mexico defense lawyer has been fined and held in contempt after filing a court brief containing fake testimony created by ChatGPT. Attorney Stephen Aarons used the AI to help summarize records while appealing a murder conviction, but he did not check the results before filing them. The brief included testimony from people who never existed, false statements attributed to real witnesses, and incorrect descriptions of previous court cases.
Aarons told the New Mexico Supreme Court he did not know AI could invent facts. Justices said lawyers are responsible for checking anything they submit, no matter what tool they use. Aarons was fined $5,000, barred from appearing before the court while disciplinary proceedings continue, and removed from the case, and a new lawyer will now handle his former client’s appeal.
Source: Ars Technica
