The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office acknowledges that, in a recent matter, a prosecutor utilized artificial intelligence in preparing a filing, which resulted in inaccurate legal citations. Once discovered, the filing was immediately withdrawn. It is important to note that the filing was withdrawn prior to ligation on the legal issue.
The issue was immediately addressed with the involved attorney as well as all attorneys in the Office. All attorneys were reminded of their duty to independently verify every citation and authority and never rely on AI-generated material without verifying the accuracy of the information through authorized legal research platforms.
As prosecutors and public servants, we take seriously our ethical obligations of candor to the Court and accuracy in all pleadings. Regardless of the source of any citation error—whether arising from the use of artificial intelligence or traditional human error—our Office remains firmly committed to the highest standards of integrity. Opposing counsel has identified errors in legal citations in two other filings, which have been promptly corrected and addressed with the same level of seriousness in our internal review and attorney guidance. The errors in these cases were also addressed and corrected prior to any final resolution.
As it relates to artificial intelligence, it can be a useful research tool, but it remains an evolving technology with significant limitations—including the potential to generate inaccurate or “hallucinated” citations. Our Office continues to learn the dynamics of AI-assisted legal work and its pitfalls, even within verified research platforms. We are implementing the appropriate guardrails. We have implemented an Office-wide AI Policy Directive modeled off guidance from the Judicial Branch of California and the California State Bar. The policy has been acknowledged by all employees, and we have conducted AI-specific training for attorneys. An AI Policy Coordinator has also been appointed to provide ongoing oversight and guidance as we adapt to this developing technology.
In addition to the regular ongoing training our attorneys receive to support professional ethics and responsibility, our Office has used this opportunity to provide enhanced instruction on the Rules of Professional Conduct—emphasizing diligence, competence, and candor toward the Court, and underscoring the importance of careful oversight in verifying the accuracy of all legal filings.
We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the continual improvement of our practices—including the careful and ethical integration of emerging technologies.