Watch These Judges Rip Into Lawyers For Citing Cases That Don't Exist

Key Points:

• During a May 20 appeal hearing in the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, attorney Michael Sanders was publicly reprimanded by Justices Valerie Brathwaite Nelson and Hector LaSalle for citing fabricated and misrepresented legal cases in a sidewalk injury lawsuit.
• The judges criticized Sanders for submitting at least three fictitious cases and misrepresenting ten others, emphasizing that knowingly making false statements violates professional conduct rules and undermines trust in the legal profession.
• Opposing counsel and the city’s attorney were also admonished for failing to catch or report the false citations, with the court stressing the collective responsibility of lawyers to ensure accuracy and integrity in filings.
• Although the judges did not explicitly mention generative AI, the incident reflects a broader trend of lawyers using AI tools that produce fake legal citations, a practice increasingly condemned by courts as damaging and unacceptable.
• Justice LaSalle highlighted the seriousness of the misconduct, urging Sanders to investigate how the false citations occurred and warning that further consequences could follow, while expressing disappointment in the breach of professional standards.