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Los Angeles Judge Fines State Farm Lawyer $999.99 Over Seven AI-Fabricated Case Citations

September 14, 2026 at 18:39 EDT

Policy & Regulation
Security

A Los Angeles judge has ordered a State Farm lawyer to pay a $999.99 sanction after finding that AI-assisted court filings cited seven cases that do not exist.

Sept. 11, 2026 · Los Angeles Superior Court

$999.99 for seven fake cases

Judge Elizabeth Bradley ordered State Farm outside counsel Jacquelene Robinson to pay $999.99 after AI-assisted motions cited authorities that do not exist.

Fine vs. reporting line vs. prior California penalty

Column height is proportional (about 1 to 1 to 10). Vertical stacked blocks, same dollar scale.

$999.99

This sanction

$1,000

Bar report trigger

$10,000

Prior CA ChatGPT fine

The new penalty is about one-tenth of last year's $10,000 California ChatGPT sanction — and one cent under the $1,000 State Bar reporting line.

$999.99

Personal court sanction

Nonexistent case citations

Motions in limine reviewed

1¢

Below the $1,000 report line

How the filings reached the court

Draft with Irys
Legal AI used on motions in limine

→

No independent cite check
Westlaw link was assumed, then disproved

→

Seven fake cites filed
Across eight motions, plus bad quotes

→

Court imposes $999.99
Robinson accepts responsibility

Responsibility

Robinson called the errors inexcusable, offered no excuse, and took full blame. Lead counsel said the firm updated its AI policy.

Criticism

Plaintiff's counsel said fake cites ran through nearly every motion in limine. Lawyers following the case called skipped verification a basic failure.

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