Lawyer flagged by court for using AI in pleadings
The Sandiganbayan flagged a lawyer for using artificial intelligence in the pleadings she submitted to the court.
According to a report by The Philippine STAR, the Sandiganbayan called out Atty. Iryl Boco for using AI in the pleadings she filed on behalf of former Technology Resource Center deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, who is facing graft and malversation cases in relation to the pork barrel fund scam.
The court noted the errors in the filing, stressing citations were either “non-existent or did not contain the quoted portions cited and had incorrect docket numbers and dates."
It also pointed out that the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability stated lawyers should not “misquote, misrepresent or mislead the court as to the existence or the contents of any document, argument, evidence, law or other legal authority.”
Boco apologized and acknowledged the severity of errors in the motion she filed. She explained that the motions were made by Cunanan's former lawyer, Je Froilan Clerigo.
She added that she believed that the content was “faithful and accurate” but admitted she failed to do a thorough review, hence affixing her signature.
The court acknowledged Boco's apology, saying she was “forthright in admitting her errors without any intention to mislead the court.”
“While Atty. Boco explained that she did not, on her own, draft the motions, and that Al-enabled tools were employed in researching the issues, the ultimate responsibility of the misquotations ultimately fell on her shoulders as she signed the same,” the Seventh Division stated. “In future submissions of documents before the court, counsel is reminded to fact-check any AI-generated research and to strictly observe proper citations of legal authorities concomitant to her duties under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability.”
