Generic AI chatbots hallucinate case law. Lawyers have been sanctioned for relying on them. CommonBench is built differently — every citation is verified against real legal databases.
| Feature | ChatGPT / Generic AI | CommonBench |
|---|---|---|
| Case citations | ✗ Frequently hallucinated | ✓ Verified against BAILII, AustLII, HKLII, CourtListener |
| Jurisdiction awareness | ✗ Generic, US-biased | ✓ UK, HK, SG, AU, US — correct terminology and procedure |
| Procedural pathway | ✗ Doesn’t tell you what to file | ✓ Court, form, fee, deadline, pre-action protocol |
| Opponent analysis | ✗ Not available | ✓ Defence anticipation + weakness mapping |
| Case strength score | ✗ Not available | ✓ Numeric 0–100 with 6–10 weighted factors |
| Costs estimate | ✗ Vague or absent | ✓ Broken down by litigation stage + costs exposure |
| Limitation calculator | ✗ Not available | ✓ Specific dates and deadline warnings |
| Free ADR alternatives | ✗ Not flagged | ✓ Ombudsmen, tribunals, and free schemes identified |
| Court sanctions risk | 🚨 Multiple lawyers sanctioned for fake citations | ✓ Citations verified — zero hallucination risk |
Real cases where lawyers relied on AI-generated legal research with fabricated citations.
“Technological advances are commonplace, and there is nothing inherently improper about using a reliable artificial intelligence tool for assistance. But existing rules impose a gatekeeping role on attorneys to ensure the accuracy of their filings.”
— Judge P. Kevin Castel, Mata v. Avianca, Inc., 678 F.Supp.3d 443 (S.D.N.Y. 2023)
The Second Circuit referred an attorney for disciplinary proceedings after she submitted a brief citing a nonexistent case generated by ChatGPT. The court held that the use of AI tools “does not excuse an attorney from separately ensuring that submissions to the Court are accurate or legally tenable.”
Park v. Kim, No. 22-2057 (2d Cir. 2024)
The SRA advises that solicitors using AI tools remain fully bound by the SRA Code of Conduct, including obligations of competence and service. Solicitors must review and verify AI-generated outputs before relying on them or sharing them with clients or courts.
SRA, Compliance tips for solicitors regarding the use of AI and technology (Solicitors Regulation Authority)
This wouldn’t happen with CommonBench. Every citation is checked against real legal databases before it reaches you.
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