Ethics
Attorneys for MyPillow CEO sanctioned for faux case citations; choose questions their rationalization
July 10, 2025, 9:01 am CDT
MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell on April 4, 2023, in West Palm Seashore, Florida. (Picture by Wilfredo Lee/The Related Press)
A federal choose has imposed a sanction of $3,000 every on two legal professionals representing MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell for submitting a quick citing circumstances that didn’t exist.
U.S. District Choose Nina Y. Wang of the District of Colorado sanctioned legal professionals Christopher I. Kachouroff of Virginia and Jennifer T. DeMaster of Wisconsin in a July 7 choice.
Neither Kachouroff nor DeMaster provided explanations how faulty citations appeared in drafts of the transient “absent using generative synthetic intelligence or gross carelessness by counsel,” Wang stated.
Wang stated in an April 23 order to point out trigger she recognized “almost 30 faulty citations” of circumstances, together with citations to circumstances that don’t exist, within the legal professionals’ Feb. 10 transient.
Wang stated she was not persuaded by the counsel’s argument {that a} draft model of the transient was mistakenly filed, given “contradictory statements and the dearth of corroborating proof.” Wang had examined Microsoft Phrase draft paperwork supplied to the court docket and an electronic mail discussing last edits in coming to her conclusion.
Wang expressed further considerations with Kachouroff’s response to her order to point out trigger.
Kachouroff had stated he was “taken by full shock” when Wang questioned him in court docket in regards to the difficulty. He stated in a declaration his co-counsel filed the draft doc as an alternative of the ultimate model that they “had fastidiously cite-checked and edited.” On the time, Kachouroff stated, he was on a one-week trip to Mexico, the place there have been “limitations on web service.”
Wang questioned Kachouroff’s “puzzlingly defiant tone and tenor” in response to her show-cause order and stated his try to shift duty was “each troubling and never well-taken.”
And whereas Kachouroff stated the faux circumstances cited have been “a transparent deviation” from his observe, he “quietly filed” two notices of errors that included nonexistent circumstances in briefs in a second case, Wang stated.
Courts throughout the nation have acknowledged that Rule 11 of the Federal Guidelines of Civil Process applies to using AI, Wang stated. Rule 11 requires events submitting court docket pleadings to certify that the arguments are warranted by present legislation or by a nonfrivolous argument for establishing new legislation.
A faux opinion shouldn’t be present legislation, Wang stated, citing a earlier opinion.
Kachouroff and DeMaster didn’t instantly reply to the ABA Journal’s emails and voicemails searching for remark.
Lindell was sued for defamation by Eric Coomer, a former govt with Dominion Voting Methods. Lindell allegedly amplified false allegations that Coomer could have been concerned in a rigged 2020 election and a legal conspiracy, resulting in “credible dying threats” towards him and banishment from the elections trade, Coomer’s second amended grievance alleges.
Jurors dominated towards Lindell and his media platform on defamation claims in June and awarded greater than $2.3 million in damages.
Publications protecting the sanctions embody the New York Instances, Bloomberg Regulation and the Colorado Solar.
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