Definition
Fictitious court cases, statutes, or legal authorities that an AI generates and presents as real. When lawyers use AI-assisted research tools without independently verifying every citation, these invented references can end up in official court filings—a phenomenon South Korean courts are now calling 'ghost cases.'
Why it matters
Courts in multiple jurisdictions have begun imposing fines and sanctions on attorneys who submit AI-generated ghost citations, and regulators are developing formal rules requiring verification. For organisations that use AI in legal, compliance, or regulatory work, this creates direct professional liability and reputational risk.