New York Man Uses A.I. Lawyer, Judge Reacts

A resourceful New York State man used an artificial intelligence attorney in court. Anyone with half a brain knows that A.I. (not to be confused with A1 Steak Sauce) has the real potential to replace humans in many professions. One that I never thought I would see in real life is that of an attorney. I could see it in a dystopian movie, but not in reality, not yet. But, one New York man is living in 2075.

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Let's be real, lawyers are expensive. Had I been thinking straight when I was younger, I would have gone to law school instead of becoming a writer and radio personality. According to Legal Match,

"According to industry data, attorney fees in New York typically range from $200 to $600 per hour, with an average rate being around $400 per hour. One of the major costs associated with a criminal case is the complexity of the case. Attorney fees for misdemeanor cases often range from $2,500 to $10,000."

Up to $10,000!?! That's crazy! And that is for a misdemeanor. Imagine the charges for a felony!

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One man in New York was resourceful in representing himself in his case. Honestly, I can't be mad at him for trying. Jerome Dewald, the plaintiff, did request permission from the judge to play a pre-recorded video. He used a video produced by a San Francisco tech company to generate the AI attorney in an employment dispute case. He explained that he wanted to use the avatar because he knew it would deliver his message clearly and concisely.

The A.I. started the video with an opening statement, "May it please the court, I come here today a humble pro se before a panel of five distinguished justices." Before the A.I. attorney could go much further, one of the judges stopped the proceedings and chastised Dewald for using the A.I. attorney. She said, "I don't appreciate being misled. If you want to have oral argument time, you may stand up and give it to me." Dewald wrote an apology to the court and let them know he did not intend to mislead them. You can watch it unfold in the video below.

Credit: USA Today via Youtube

The New York State Bar Association has issued an advisory to its attorneys warning about possible privacy issues with using A.I. Richard Lewis, the President of the New York State Bar Association, said, “AI can enhance the delivery of legal services. It obviously has enormous potential because it can already draft documents, conduct research, predict outcomes, and help with case management. However, we have an obligation as attorneys to be aware of the potential consequences from its misuse that can endanger privacy and attorney-client privilege."

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