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Lawyers Apologize for AI Hallucinations in Federal Layoffs Case

In a federal case challenging Trump administration layoffs at FEMA, attorney Jason Greaves admitted filing a motion containing fabricated quotations generated by AI. Greaves used Anthropic's Claude Console to draft the motion under time constraints, but failed to verify citations, leading to 'phantom quotations.' Despite an associate supposedly checking citations, errors persisted. Greaves apologized to the court and opposing counsel, taking full responsibility. This incident adds to a series of AI-related courtroom errors, echoing a previous sanction against Sullivan & Cromwell for similar fake citations. The case highlights ongoing risks of relying on AI for legal work.

Key facts

  • Attorney Jason Greaves used Anthropic's Claude Console to draft a court motion.
  • The motion contained fake case quotations, termed 'phantom quotations.'
  • Greaves apologized and took full responsibility for the citation errors.
  • An associate attorney allegedly failed to catch the fabricated citations.
  • This incident mirrors prior AI hallucination cases in legal filings.

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