ChatGPT and the A.I. derivatives surrounding it have been touted as solutions for a variety of problems. Need a resume or a cover letter? Use A.I. Need an introduction for a PowerPoint presentation? Use A.I. Need a wedding invitation design? Use A.I. Want to use A.I. to handle the drug offense you were charged with? Not so fast. Better think twice before you try to use A.I. to keep you out of jail.
There is nothing better than the real thing when it comes to protecting your freedom. If you are being charged with a crime, call the Illinois criminal defense attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson today.
Robot Lawyers and Traffic Tickets
, an A.I. startup called DoNotPay attempted to help drivers fight parking tickets. The idea was to offer smart glasses to people who had received parking citations. The glasses would “hear” what the judge said and requested, and then A.I. would suggest responses directly to the litigants through headphones. The DoNotPay system was going to use both DaVinci and ChatGPT.
State Bar Issues
Word of this innovative use of A.I. in the courtroom spread quickly and elicited angry responses from numerous state bar associations. Most of the controversy centered on the unauthorized practice of law. When a person who is not a licensed attorney in a particular state offers legal representation or legal advice, that constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.
Yes, even though you are not a lawyer, you can represent yourself in a legal proceeding. You cannot, however, hire someone to represent you in a legal proceeding who is not a lawyer.
In some states, the unauthorized practice of law is a misdemeanor, and the person who commits the offense can end up in jail for up to six months.
State bar associations were created to ensure that those in need of legal assistance could be connected with licensed, qualified lawyers who understand the law, and bar associations can spring into action when they are presented with evidence that the unauthorized practice of law has occurred.
Backing Off
After the multistate pushback, DoNotPay decided not to try the smart glasses idea. Still, the company is now the target of a class action suit that says that DoNotPay “is not actually a robot, a lawyer, nor a law firm.” The plaintiff’s lawyer in the class action suit claimed that their client used DoNotPay to draft various legal documents that turned out to be poorly constructed and generally substandard.¹
Furthermore, federal court and some state court rules prohibit recording in courtrooms, and this is an issue that robot lawyer firms like DoNotPay still need to face.
Why You Need a Lawyer
A.I. is in its infancy, and although it is rapidly evolving, it’s just not a good idea to trust an A.I. platform to construct your legal defense to a complicated charge like a drug offense or conspiracy to commit fraud, for example. ChatGPT responses can be blatantly incorrect and can contain false information. Seasoned attorneys understand the intricacies and practices of local courts, and an experienced criminal lawyer will have dealt with many cases like yours. A.I. only regurgitates what it has learned from Internet resources, and again, that information can be inaccurate.
If you have been charged with a crime, you need knowledgeable help quickly. Contact Glasgow & Olsson today to learn how experienced lawyers can help you navigate the legal landscape and get the results that you deserve.
¹https://www.legaldive.com/news/chatgpt-fake-legal-cases-generative-ai-hallucinations/651557/