In apology to court, senior associate details how she will avoid AI mistakes going forward
A senior associate at Musick, Peeler & Garrett was fined almost $1,000 by the Los Angeles County Superior Court for submitting a brief with fabricated case citations. (Image from Shutterstock)
A senior associate at Musick, Peeler & Garrett was fined almost $1,000 by the Los Angeles County Superior Court for submitting a brief with fabricated case citations.
The alleged actions of the senior associate, Jacquelene Robinson, were brought to the court’s attention by the opposing counsel, according to an Aug. 28 order. The matter stems from her defense of the State Farm Insurance Co. in a breach of contract claim.
Robinson did not immediately respond to an ABA Journal interview request.
She apologized to the court in a Sept. 3 declaration, which was shared by Reuters.
It referenced Musick Peeler’s policy on using generative artificial intelligence tools and stated that going forward, she will independently retrieve every authority from “Westlaw, LexisNexis or another reliable source,” check all quotes with the actual opinions, and do citation audits before submitting court filings.
Additionally, Robinson told the court that she attended a CLE course on AI ethics for lawyers.
“I did so because I wanted to understand the failure that occurred and make sure that I changed my practices moving forward,” her declaration stated. “However, I do not offer that education as an excuse for what occurred; the responsibility for the filings was mine, and I accept that responsibility.”
The motion asked the court to dismiss or lower the fines assessed against Robinson. Ultimately, the court ordered her to pay $999.99 in fines, Reuters reports.
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