Judge Criticizes AI Entrepreneur for Employing AI-Generated 'Lawyer' in Court
A man's bold move to use an AI-generated avatar in his legal appeal certainly caught the attention of a New York courtroom, though not in the way he might have hoped.
Jerome Dewald, a 74-year-old entrepreneur behind a startup claiming to "revolutionize legal self-representation with AI," faced a stern rebuke during an employment dispute hearing on March 26th. The issue? He failed to disclose to the judges that the person presenting his oral argument was artificially generated. Although the court had given Dewald the green light to submit a video, Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels was taken aback when an unfamiliar face, clearly not Dewald, appeared on screen.
"Hold on," Manzanet-Daniels interjected, barely a sentence into the avatar's speech. "Is that counsel for the case?"
"I generated that," Dewald admitted. "It's not a real person."
Dewald explained to *The Register* that the avatar, a "big, beautiful hunk of a guy" named Jim, was one of the stock options from an AI avatar company called Tavus. He submitted the video due to his challenges with prolonged speaking, but the court was unaware that the video was AI-generated.
"It would have been nice to know that when you made your application. You did not tell me that, sir, I don't appreciate being misled," Manzanet-Daniels retorted after Dewald's confession. "You are not going to use this courtroom as a launch for your business."
Recent AI Mishaps in Legal Settings
This incident is part of a growing list of mishaps where AI and legal processes intersect. In 2023, two attorneys and their law firm faced penalties for submitting fictitious legal research generated by ChatGPT. Similarly, the "robot lawyer" company DoNotPay was slapped with a $193,000 settlement by the FTC in February for falsely claiming that its AI legal representation matched the effectiveness of human lawyers.
These cases highlight the importance of transparency and caution when integrating AI into legal proceedings. As technology continues to evolve, it's crucial for users to be upfront about their use of AI tools to maintain the integrity and trust within the judicial system.
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Comments (10)
0/200
![ChristopherAllen]()
ChristopherAllen
September 22, 2025 at 10:30:31 AM EDT
Menuda idea más ridícula 🤦♂️ ¿En serio pensó que un avatar de IA podría sustituir a un abogado real en los tribunales? Esto demuestra lo alejados que están algunos emprendedores de la realidad. La justicia necesita toque humano, no algoritmos generando palabrería legal. ¡Qué vergüenza para este señor!
0
![PeterPerez]()
PeterPerez
August 26, 2025 at 11:01:15 AM EDT
This AI lawyer stunt is wild! 😲 I get trying to shake things up, but using an AI avatar in court? That’s like sending a robot to do your taxes. Curious if this guy thought it’d actually work or just wanted headlines.
0
![CarlMartin]()
CarlMartin
August 5, 2025 at 10:01:00 PM EDT
Quel culot de vouloir utiliser un avatar IA en tribunal ! 😅 Franchement, je trouve ça fascinant, mais ça montre aussi les limites de l’IA face à un vrai juge. Peut-être qu’un jour on verra des IA avocats, mais là, c’est un peu trop tôt, non ?
0
![JackHernández]()
JackHernández
July 27, 2025 at 9:19:05 PM EDT
That AI lawyer stunt in court was wild! 😅 I get trying to shake things up, but maybe leave the lawyering to humans for now—AI’s not ready to argue cases like Perry Mason!
0
![PeterThomas]()
PeterThomas
July 23, 2025 at 1:31:54 AM EDT
This AI lawyer stunt is wild! I get trying to innovate, but using a bot in court feels like showing up to a gunfight with a toy pistol. 😅 Curious if this guy thought it’d actually work or just wanted the publicity.
0
![AlbertAllen]()
AlbertAllen
April 20, 2025 at 8:37:23 AM EDT
Using an AI 'lawyer' in court? That's wild! Jerome's idea was innovative but clearly backfired. The judge's reaction was priceless! 😂 Maybe next time, stick to human lawyers for serious cases. Still, gotta admire the guts to try something so out there!
0
A man's bold move to use an AI-generated avatar in his legal appeal certainly caught the attention of a New York courtroom, though not in the way he might have hoped.
Jerome Dewald, a 74-year-old entrepreneur behind a startup claiming to "revolutionize legal self-representation with AI," faced a stern rebuke during an employment dispute hearing on March 26th. The issue? He failed to disclose to the judges that the person presenting his oral argument was artificially generated. Although the court had given Dewald the green light to submit a video, Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels was taken aback when an unfamiliar face, clearly not Dewald, appeared on screen.
"Hold on," Manzanet-Daniels interjected, barely a sentence into the avatar's speech. "Is that counsel for the case?"
"I generated that," Dewald admitted. "It's not a real person."
Dewald explained to *The Register* that the avatar, a "big, beautiful hunk of a guy" named Jim, was one of the stock options from an AI avatar company called Tavus. He submitted the video due to his challenges with prolonged speaking, but the court was unaware that the video was AI-generated.
"It would have been nice to know that when you made your application. You did not tell me that, sir, I don't appreciate being misled," Manzanet-Daniels retorted after Dewald's confession. "You are not going to use this courtroom as a launch for your business."
Recent AI Mishaps in Legal Settings
This incident is part of a growing list of mishaps where AI and legal processes intersect. In 2023, two attorneys and their law firm faced penalties for submitting fictitious legal research generated by ChatGPT. Similarly, the "robot lawyer" company DoNotPay was slapped with a $193,000 settlement by the FTC in February for falsely claiming that its AI legal representation matched the effectiveness of human lawyers.
These cases highlight the importance of transparency and caution when integrating AI into legal proceedings. As technology continues to evolve, it's crucial for users to be upfront about their use of AI tools to maintain the integrity and trust within the judicial system.
Trump Prioritizes AI Growth Over Regulation in Race to Outpace China
The Trump administration unveiled its landmark AI Action Plan on Wednesday, marking a decisive break from the Biden administration's risk-averse AI policies. The ambitious blueprint prioritizes aggressive infrastructure development, sweeping regulato
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YouTube Shorts to Feature Veo 3 AI Video Model This SummerYouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed during his Cannes Lions keynote that the platform's cutting-edge Veo 3 AI video generation technology will debut on YouTube Shorts later this summer. This follo
Microsoft Teases Budget-Friendly Xbox Cloud Gaming Subscription
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September 22, 2025 at 10:30:31 AM EDT
Menuda idea más ridícula 🤦♂️ ¿En serio pensó que un avatar de IA podría sustituir a un abogado real en los tribunales? Esto demuestra lo alejados que están algunos emprendedores de la realidad. La justicia necesita toque humano, no algoritmos generando palabrería legal. ¡Qué vergüenza para este señor!
0
August 26, 2025 at 11:01:15 AM EDT
This AI lawyer stunt is wild! 😲 I get trying to shake things up, but using an AI avatar in court? That’s like sending a robot to do your taxes. Curious if this guy thought it’d actually work or just wanted headlines.
0
August 5, 2025 at 10:01:00 PM EDT
Quel culot de vouloir utiliser un avatar IA en tribunal ! 😅 Franchement, je trouve ça fascinant, mais ça montre aussi les limites de l’IA face à un vrai juge. Peut-être qu’un jour on verra des IA avocats, mais là, c’est un peu trop tôt, non ?
0
July 27, 2025 at 9:19:05 PM EDT
That AI lawyer stunt in court was wild! 😅 I get trying to shake things up, but maybe leave the lawyering to humans for now—AI’s not ready to argue cases like Perry Mason!
0
July 23, 2025 at 1:31:54 AM EDT
This AI lawyer stunt is wild! I get trying to innovate, but using a bot in court feels like showing up to a gunfight with a toy pistol. 😅 Curious if this guy thought it’d actually work or just wanted the publicity.
0
April 20, 2025 at 8:37:23 AM EDT
Using an AI 'lawyer' in court? That's wild! Jerome's idea was innovative but clearly backfired. The judge's reaction was priceless! 😂 Maybe next time, stick to human lawyers for serious cases. Still, gotta admire the guts to try something so out there!
0
