An Alabama federal judge has penalized and admonished an attorney for using artificial intelligence to create court documents that included incorrect case citations.

U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer penned an 18-page order that chastised the conduct of Loxley-based lawyer James Johnson, FOX10 Mobile reported.

“The Court further has no issue finding that Mr. Johnson’s actions constituted more than sheer carelessness. … Introducing false citations is not simply a typographical mistake, nor is it open to reasonable argument,” he stated. “It is plainly incorrect.”

Moorer fined Johnson $5,000 and ordered him to alert current and future clients about the error, according to the report.

The judge also suggested Johnson for potential removal from the court’s advisory panel for attorneys eligible for court-appointed criminal cases.

Moore stated that the decision to go beyond a financial penalty was due to the realization that “basic reprimands and small fines are inadequate” to deter such behavior, referencing several examples of similar lapses by lawyers nationwide. 

Moore cited dozens of other lawyers across the country who made similar errors using AI. (iStock)

“Still, the misuse of generative AI persists despite the legal field’s awareness that AI can produce fictitious cases. … The issue persists as the citing of non-existent cases remains rampant,” Moore remarked.

Moorer granted Johnson’s client permission to represent himself following the AI misconduct.  (iStock)

Johnson was representing Glennie Antonio McGee in a high-profile drug case. McGee allegedly ran a drug distribution organization that used children as young as three years old as couriers.

McGee declared that he no longer had confidence in Johnson as his counsel following the AI misconduct. Moore then gave McGee permission to represent himself.