New Mexico court fines attorney over AI-fabricated witness testimony

A defense lawyer appealing his client’s murder conviction submitted a brief containing fabricated police testimony and witnesses generated by ChatGPT, New Mexico’s highest court said, according to Reuters.

The New Mexico Supreme Court fined attorney Stephen Aarons $5,000 and held him in contempt on Wednesday for failing to verify the filing, which he said he prepared with help from the AI program.

The court noted the brief “contained false testimony from wholly fabricated witnesses,” further stating that Aarons showed a lack of remorse and concern for his client.

Aarons told Reuters he used ChatGPT to summarise trial proceedings and did not grasp how badly AI could “hallucinate” facts, adding that he was remorseful but hopeful the disciplinary board would view it as an honest mistake.

The justices said they would refer him for disciplinary investigation.