A federal judge in Denver has ordered attorneys Christopher Kachouroff and Jennifer DeMaster to pay $3,000 each for submitting a court filing containing nearly 30 defective citations, including references to nonexistent cases and misquotations. The filing was part of a defamation lawsuit brought by Eric Coomer, a former Dominion Voting Systems director, against Lindell.
During a pretrial conference, Judge Nina Y. Wang questioned Kachouroff about the errors in the filing. Kachouroff admitted to using AI assistance, stating he "drafted a motion, and then we ran it through AI." However, he failed to verify the citations after AI processing, claiming "I personally did not check it. I am responsible for it not being checked."
The judge found the attorneys' explanations unconvincing, noting that the final version they intended to submit still contained substantive errors. Wang emphasized the sanctions represented "the least severe sanction adequate to deter and punish defense counsel." The judge also expressed reluctance in sanctioning the attorneys, stating that the court "derives no joy from sanctioning attorneys who appear before it."
This incident highlights the risks of relying on AI-generated content in legal proceedings and the importance of verifying information to maintain the integrity of the judicial system. The defamation lawsuit against Lindell ended with a jury finding him liable for false claims about the 2020 presidential election, resulting in a $2 million penalty.
