Oregon Judge Orders Time Tracking to Measure AI‑Generated Fake Citations Draining Court Resources

Chief Judge Erin C. Lagesen of the Oregon Court of Appeals warned that lawyers and self‑represented litigants are increasingly submitting bogus case citations and quotations produced by generative AI. She noted that such filings appear to be siphoning time from the court’s core work of deciding cases and pointed to the court’s website guidance on the risks of using AI to prepare briefs and the possible sanctions for false information.

In March, the Oregon Court of Appeals fined an attorney $10,000 for submitting at least 15 fabricated case citations in a marijuana license case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark D. Clarke fined two attorneys $110,000 in federal court for including non‑existent case citations and fabricated quotations in their briefs. Lagesen has directed staff and judges to track the time spent addressing fabricated authority generated by AI to measure its drain on court resources.

The time‑tracking order seeks to turn anecdotal complaints into concrete data, which could inform future policy on AI use in legal practice. If the data shows a significant resource loss, the court may consider stricter verification requirements or expanded educational programs for attorneys. The sanctions already issued signal that courts are willing to impose heavy penalties for AI‑generated misinformation, reinforcing the duty to verify every citation and quotation before filing.

Observers should watch for the release of the time‑tracking results later this year and any subsequent changes to Oregon’s court rules or state bar guidance on AI competence.