A California judge has ordered a lawyer for insurance giant State Farm to pay a $999.99 fine after finding that some of her filings included nonexistent cases stemming from her use of an artificial intelligence program.
Here are the details:
Judge Elizabeth Bradley of Los Angeles Superior Court said in her order on Friday that submissions from the attorney, Jacquelene Robinson of law firm Musick, Peeler & Garrett, included seven case citations that did not exist.
The underlying lawsuit, filed in 2024, involves insurance coverage for fire and storm damage at a house in Carson, California. State Farm is a defendant and has denied any wrongdoing.
Lawyers for the plaintiff said they discovered the citation errors. “The issue is pervasive and present in nearly every single motion in limine filed by State Farm in this case,” Eric Khodadian, a lawyer for the plaintiff, told the court.
Robinson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a court filing, opens new tab, Robinson apologized and said she took full responsibility. “I recognize that citation to fabricated authorities, especially those included in submissions to the court, is unacceptable,” Robinson said.
State Farm in a statement on Monday said it “expects all external counsel to adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, including when using AI and when reviewing and confirming the accuracy of all court filings.”
State and federal judges have sanctioned lawyers in dozens of cases when an AI program made up citations, misquoted the law or, in at least one case, invented witness testimony.