The City of Fresno is facing scrutiny in court after a judge found serious problems in a legal filing submitted in an eminent domain case, including citations to cases that do not exist.
The city is attempting to acquire the A&T Ceramic Tile property through eminent domain. But the case has hit a major roadblock after Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan identified more than ten issues in the city’s legal brief.
According to the court’s tentative ruling, several cases cited in the motion could not be found. Other citations were misquoted or did not support the arguments being made. The judge also noted that some statutes referenced in the filing were either inapplicable or nonexistent.
As a result, the law firm representing the city, Aleshire & Wynder LLP, now faces a possible $10,000 fine. The firm is scheduled to appear in court on April 14 to explain why it should not be ordered to pay sanctions.
The filing was signed by attorney Carrie Raven. In a statement to FOX26, the firm said Raven is no longer with Aleshire & Wynder LLP.
Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz also released a statement, saying:
“This matter has been discussed with the City’s outside attorneys. The attorney who drafted and signed the motion has been removed from all work for the City. The City’s outside counsel will be addressing this matter with the Court at the hearing in April at no cost to the City and at the firm’s expense.”
While the court has not made a formal finding that artificial intelligence was used to draft the filing, the errors have raised broader concerns about the role of AI in legal work.
Stephen Choi, an AI program coordinator at Fresno State University, says the case underscores the importance of verifying information generated by artificial intelligence.
“It is so tempting for a person to use a tool when the tool gives them an instant increase in productivity and efficiency,” Choi said. “But at the same time, a person has to be aware of the misuse. If the person is not considerate and not understanding the negative consequences, then this type of case could happen over and over.”
Choi added that failing to verify AI-generated information can have significant consequences — especially in a courtroom.
“If we don’t, the negative consequences are so huge where it could impact many categories in our society — and especially in the court of law,” he said.
The issue has also drawn attention at the state level. Senate Bill 574, introduced last year, would place regulations on attorneys who use artificial intelligence. The bill would require lawyers to personally verify the accuracy of any AI-generated content, including legal citations, before submitting it to the court.
State Senator Tom Umberg, who introduced the measure, has emphasized the need for safeguards when using AI in legal filings, particularly when it comes to protecting sensitive information.
SB 574 has already passed the State Senate and is currently under consideration in the Assembly.
For now, the focus remains on the April 14 hearing, where a judge will determine whether the law firm representing the City of Fresno will face financial penalties for the flawed filing.