Australian lawyer penalized for using AI-generated fakes
An Australian lawyer became the first legal professional to lose his license for submitting AI-generated court documents with fabricated citations.
As reported by The Guardian, the incident occurred in the Supreme Court of Victoria. The lawyer, who was representing a husband in a matrimonial dispute, provided the court with a list of precedents requested by Justice Amanda Humphreys. When the judge began examining the documents provided, neither she nor her associates could find any of the cases listed.
When the hearing resumed, the lawyer confessed that the list had been produced by AI-based software. AI and that he had failed to verify the information before submitting it to the court. He apologized and asked that the case not be referred for further consideration. He explained that he did not fully understand how the program worked and that he would "learn his lesson." The lawyer also voluntarily paid the wife's legal fees.
Justice Humphreys accepted his apology but still referred the case to the Victorian Legal Services Board. She believed it was in the public interest, as the use of AI in jurisprudence is becoming increasingly common.
As a result of the investigation, the lawyer's official status was changed. His license was reviewed, and he is now prohibited from working as a leading lawyer, as well as from managing his own office or handling client funds.
For two years, he will only be able to work as an employee under strict supervision.
This case has set a precedent for the entire legal community. Since then, Australian courts have begun to more rigorously check legal documents, and over 20 similar cases have been recorded. As a result, official investigations have been launched against several lawyers from Western Australia and New South Wales.
