On Monday, October 13, 2025, Fox10 News reported that James Johnson, a lawyer from Loxley, Alabama, is facing repercussions after a federal judge discovered he used an artificial intelligence program to draft a court filing containing nonexistent case citations.
U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer has fined Johnson $5,000 and mandated that he inform both current and prospective clients about the judge’s order. Furthermore, Judge Moorer directed the clerk’s office to forward the order to the Alabama State Bar, raising concerns about Johnson’s professional conduct.
Johnson has admitted to using an AI program to draft the court filing, which contained citations to cases that did not exist. In response, Johnson’s attorney is appealing Judge Moorer’s decision, arguing that the judge relied on “clearly erroneous findings of fact” and exceeded his authority. The attorney further contends that the judge’s order is punitive rather than remedial. Johnson’s legal team is seeking a reversal of Moorer’s order from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.
The incident came to light three months prior when the court discovered the erroneous case citations in a filing submitted by Johnson. Judge Moorer’s 18-page order detailed the fine and the requirement for Johnson to notify his clients. The judge emphasized that while mistakes can occur, Johnson’s actions went beyond simple error. Judge Moorer stated that the inclusion of fabricated citations was not a mere typographical mistake or a matter of reasonable debate, but rather a deliberate act of misconduct.
The specific filing in question was a request to postpone a federal drug trial. During a hearing in July, Johnson admitted to using an AI program that cited nonexistent cases. In addition to the fine, Judge Moorer instructed Johnson to file a copy of the order in all his pending cases, as well as in all new cases he takes on within the next year. This requirement extends to any jurisdiction where Johnson is licensed to practice law.
The judge also instructed the clerk of the federal court in Mobile to send a copy of the order to the general counsel of the Alabama State Bar, along with the chief judges of the Middle and Northern districts of Alabama. Furthermore, Johnson has been referred to the court’s advisory panel to determine whether he should be removed from the list of lawyers who are appointed to court criminal cases.
Judge Moorer highlighted that Johnson’s case is not isolated, noting an increasing number of instances where lawyers have submitted AI-generated court filings containing false citations, a phenomenon known as “hallucinations.” Judge Moorer cited over a dozen similar cases from other courts, describing them as only a fraction of the total. He noted that this issue has received widespread attention in both legal and mainstream media. Judge Moorer expressed concern that despite the legal community’s awareness of the potential for AI to fabricate cases, the problem persists. He suggested that stronger deterrents than basic reprimands and small fines are necessary to address this type of misconduct.
The case in which Johnson submitted the flawed filing involves a high-profile drug case that has garnered significant media attention due to allegations of children being used as drug couriers. The case initially gained attention when Mobile County sheriff’s deputies reported finding a 3-year-old child with a backpack full of drugs. Prosecutors allege that Johnson’s client, Glennie Antonio McGee, was the head of the drug distribution organization. The initial trial in June resulted in a mistrial due to concerns about the pace of the proceedings and the availability of jurors.
Johnson also represented McGee in a separate federal indictment related to a conspiracy to defraud the government out of COVID-19 relief aid. After prosecutors flagged the nonexistent cases in Johnson’s filing, Judge Moorer conducted an independent investigation, confirming that the cited cases did not exist. Johnson explained that he was pressed for time and was visiting a family member at a hospital when he drafted the filing using a Microsoft program called Ghostwriter Legal. He claimed he was unaware of the program’s unreliability.
Judge Moorer dismissed Johnson’s explanation, stating that it was Johnson’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of the work produced by the AI program, similar to how a lawyer would review the work of a paralegal. The judge also noted that Johnson appeared surprised when McGee lost confidence in him and requested a new lawyer, ultimately leading the judge to grant McGee permission to represent himself. Judge Moorer concluded that Johnson’s actions caused delays that negatively impacted the defendant, the public, the United States, and the court.
Source: Fox10 News
