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Supreme Court intervenes after judge cites fabricated AI judgements
India's Supreme Court has threatened legal consequences after a lower court judge in Andhra Pradesh relied on artificial intelligence-generated fake rulings to decide a property dispute, calling the incident a matter of "institutional concern".
Case background
The controversy emerged in August 2025 when a junior civil judge in Vijayawada dismissed objections from defendants in a property dispute, citing four past judgements that were later confirmed to be AI fabrications. The defendants had challenged an order for a property survey, but the judge upheld the decision using the non-existent legal precedents.
High Court's initial response
The defendants appealed to Andhra Pradesh's High Court, which acknowledged the fake citations but ruled that the trial court's decision stood because the judge had applied "correct principles of law". The High Court described the error as an act of "good faith" and accepted the junior judge's explanation that she had unknowingly relied on an AI tool, believing the citations to be genuine.
"The citations may be non-existent, but if the learned trial court has considered the correct principles of law... mere mentioning of incorrect or non-existent rulings cannot be a ground to set aside the order."
Andhra Pradesh High Court
Supreme Court's stern rebuke
Dissatisfied with the High Court's ruling, the defendants escalated the case to the Supreme Court. Last Friday, the top court stayed the lower court's order, framing the use of AI-generated fake judgements as not merely an "error in decision-making" but an act of "misconduct".
"This case assumes considerable institutional concern... about the process of adjudication and determination."
Supreme Court of India
The court has issued notices to India's Attorney General, Solicitor General, and the Bar Council of India, signaling a deeper examination of the case and its broader implications.
Global context and India's AI guidelines
The incident reflects growing global unease over AI's role in legal proceedings. In October 2025, two U.S. federal judges faced scrutiny for AI-related errors in their rulings, while the High Court of England and Wales warned lawyers against using AI-generated case material after multiple instances of fabricated citations.
India's judiciary is actively addressing these challenges. Last year, the Supreme Court released a white paper outlining best practices and guidelines for AI use by judges, lawyers, and court staff, emphasizing the need for "human oversight" and robust institutional safeguards.
Broader implications for legal AI use
The case has reignited debates about the reliability of generative AI, which can "hallucinate" false information and present it as fact. The Supreme Court's intervention underscores the risks of unchecked AI adoption in sensitive domains like law, where accuracy and integrity are paramount.
