Suspended lawyer accused of citing hallucinated case in bid to reinstate law license; ABA Journal, September 12, 2025

DEBRA CASSENS WEISS , ABA Journal; Suspended lawyer accused of citing hallucinated case in bid to reinstate law license

"A suspended Iowa lawyer cited at least one hallucinated case likely generated by artificial intelligence in his bid to return to law practice, according to a motion filed by the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board.

Court filings by suspended Des Moines lawyer Royce David Turner include “what appears to be at least one AI-generated citation to a case that does not exist or does not stand for the proposition asserted in the filings,” the board says in a July 9 motion. Turner cited the “imaginary case” In re Mears in a July 5 brief supporting his application for reinstatement and in two other court filings, according to motion to strike the three filings."

Excruciating reason Utah lawyer presented FAKE case in court after idiotic blunder; Daily Mail, May 31, 2025

JOE HUTCHISON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM; Excruciating reason Utah lawyer presented FAKE case in court after idiotic blunder

"The case referenced, according to documents, was 'Royer v. Nelson' which did not exist in any legal database and was found to be made up by ChatGPT.

Opposing counsel said that the only way they would find any mention of the case was by using the AI. 

They even went as far as to ask the AI if the case was real, noting in a filing that it then apologized and said it was a mistake.

Bednar's attorney, Matthew Barneck, said that the research was done by a clerk and Bednar took all responsibility for failing to review the cases.

He told The Salt Lake Tribune: 'That was his mistake. He owned up to it and authorized me to say that and fell on the sword."