Associated Press reports that a U.S. federal judge disqualified two attorneys from the Butler Snow law firm for citing non-existent AI‑generated cases in a prisoner’s lawsuit. After opposing counsel flagged the fictitious citations, the judge investigated and sanctioned the lawyers for relying on generative AI without verifying the results.

The judge’s order underscores the seriousness of misusing AI in legal practice. It emphasizes that lawyers have a fundamental duty to ensure the accuracy of their filings, and they cannot delegate ethical responsibilities to machines. The case is a stark warning to the legal community about the potential professional consequences of uncritical reliance on AI‑generated material and highlights the need for diligence and human oversight.