MyPillow CEO's Lawyer Used AI for Legal Brief with Fake Citations
Mike Lindell's attorney admits to using generative AI in defamation case
Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow and known supporter of former President Donald Trump's election claims, is facing legal consequences after his attorney submitted a court brief generated by artificial intelligence. U.S. District Court Judge Nina Wang discovered the brief contained nearly thirty fabricated legal citations and other significant errors. The case involves a defamation lawsuit filed by Eric Coomer, a former Dominion Voting Systems employee, against Lindell over statements related to the 2020 presidential election.
Attorney Christopher Kachouroff initially claimed the errors were simple mistakes, stating he may have paraphrased and added quotes incorrectly. However, when directly questioned by Judge Wang, Kachouroff admitted to using generative AI to create the legal brief. He further acknowledged failing to verify the citations before submitting the document to the court, a serious breach of legal protocol that has drawn judicial scrutiny.
KEY POINTS
- •Lawyer used AI for legal brief
- •Brief contained 30 fake citations
- •Judge threatens disciplinary action
Judge Wang has ordered Kachouroff and co-counsel Jennifer DeMaster to provide a full explanation by May 5th regarding how this situation occurred. The judge warned that failure to provide a satisfactory explanation could result in disciplinary proceedings for violating professional conduct rules. The incident highlights growing concerns about the use of AI in legal proceedings without proper verification of generated content.
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