Kohls v. Ellison
AI and Lazy Lawyers
Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
Ruling Date: January 13, 2025
Presiding Judge: Not specified
Facts of the Case
This case concerns Minnesota's statute that prohibits the dissemination of AI-generated deepfake content related to elections. The plaintiff, Kohls, challenged the law on First Amendment grounds, arguing that it was overly broad and potentially unconstitutional. The Minnesota Attorney General's office, representing the state, submitted an expert declaration in support of the statute.
However, it was later discovered that the declaration contained citations to non-existent publications. The expert, in drafting the declaration, had relied on ChatGPT-4 without independently verifying its outputs. The court, upon reviewing the submission, rebuked the Attorney General's office for failing to ensure the accuracy of the document.
Legal Issues
First Amendment Challenge: Whether Minnesota’s statute restricting AI-generated election misinformation violates free speech protections.
Reliability of AI in Legal Proceedings: The extent to which courts can accept AI-generated materials in legal filings without human verification.
Court’s Ruling
The court excluded the expert declaration due to its reliance on unverifiable AI-generated content, emphasizing that attorneys have a duty to confirm the accuracy of any materials they submit to the court. While the ruling did not directly address the constitutionality of the Minnesota deepfake law, it underscored the risks associated with using AI in legal practice.
Significance
This ruling sets a precedent for courts rejecting AI-generated legal documents that are not independently verified, reinforcing ethical and procedural obligations for attorneys.