Man attempts to use AI avatar to attend court proceedimgs
In this DML Report…
On March 26, 2025, Jerome Dewald, representing himself in an employment dispute, appeared remotely before the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division using an AI-generated avatar to present his arguments. The judges, unaware of this beforehand, promptly halted the video upon realizing it was synthetic. Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels expressed disappointment over the lack of disclosure. Dewald later apologized, explaining he believed the avatar would deliver a more polished presentation.
This incident highlights the growing tension over AI's role in the legal sphere. Past cases include lawyers cited for using AI tools that fabricated legal precedents. However, courts like Arizona's Supreme Court have adopted AI avatars to communicate rulings to the public. Experts suggest such occurrences were inevitable as self-representing litigants explore new technologies without formal legal guidance. Dewald's appeal remains pending.
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In response to the challenges posed by AI in legal proceedings, a federal judicial panel agreed to develop rules regulating AI-generated evidence and address concerns about "deep fake" audio or video. The proposed rule aims to ensure AI-generated evidence meets reliability standards set for expert witnesses under Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. This initiative reflects broader national efforts to address AI's impact on the legal system.