Federal Judge Fines Lawyer for AI Misuse

A federal judge in Alabama has imposed a fine on an attorney who misused artificial intelligence to prepare court documents, resulting in incorrect case citations.

U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer issued an 18-page ruling criticizing James Johnson, an attorney based in Loxley. The judge expressed serious concerns about Johnson’s actions, stating, “The court also had no difficulty in finding that Mr. Johnson’s misconduct was more than mere recklessness. … The insertion of a false citation was neither a mere typographical error nor subject to reasonable argument. That’s just wrong.”

As a consequence, Moorer fined Johnson $5,000 and instructed him to inform his current and future clients about the errors in the filings.

The judge further referred Johnson to the court’s advisory committee, suggesting that his eligibility to handle criminal cases should be reconsidered.

Moorer noted that numerous lawyers across the nation have fallen into similar traps, and the need for more severe actions is clear. “It has become evident that basic discipline and small fines are not enough,” he stated.

He lamented the ongoing misuse of generative AI in legal matters, pointing out that despite widespread awareness in legal circles of AI’s potential to fabricate cases, the issue persists. “Somehow that message still hasn’t been hammered home as the epidemic of citing fake cases continues unabated,” he remarked.

In a significant legal context, Johnson represented Glennie Antonio McGee in a high-profile drug case. Allegations against McGee included leading a drug distribution organization and involving very young children in his operations.

Following the AI-related issues, McGee expressed a loss of trust in Johnson as his lawyer, prompting the judge to allow McGee to represent himself moving forward.