Lawyer held in contempt for filing ChatGPT-fabricated case citations

A New Mexico court ruled that an attorney's reliance on AI-generated case citations without verification constitutes contempt of court. The decision treats hallucinations not as technical glitches but as professional negligence, collapsing the distinction between a learning curve and a breach of candor duties. The ruling is likely to pressure bar associations to shift from advisory guidelines to mandatory verification protocols, moving liability from tool makers to individual practitioners.