Alabama/Texas/Tennessee/Oklahoma — Matthew Brett Reeves
This is one lawyer who generated four separate state disciplinary consequences from one AI episode. The underlying conduct Matthew Brett Reeves used ChatGPT to add five citations to two motions in federal court in…
This is one lawyer who generated four separate state disciplinary consequences from one AI episode.
The underlying conduct
Matthew Brett Reeves used ChatGPT to add five citations to two motions in federal court in Alabama.
He did not verify them.
The citations were fabricated.
The federal court described the conduct as essentially bad faith/recklessness and imposed sanctions, including a public reprimand, disqualification and referral to licensing authorities.
Reeves subsequently self-reported the matter.
State consequences
| Jurisdiction | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Public reprimand |
| Texas | Public reprimand |
| Tennessee | Public censure |
| Oklahoma | Public reprimand |
The Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision is particularly valuable because it lays out the entire chain of reciprocal discipline. It expressly says the underlying conduct consisted of using generative AI to fabricate citations in two motions.
The Tennessee Board likewise expressly states that Reeves personally used AI to add citations, that they were fabricated, and that he failed to check their accuracy.
Why Reeves is important
This is probably the clearest example yet of:
one AI mistake → federal sanctions → multiple state-bar disciplinary actions.
But again:
Reeves was not disbarred.