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AI and Data

What Is Citation Checking?

Verifying that every case, statute and quote cited in a brief or memo exists, says what it is cited for, and is still good law.

Legal Tech GlossaryBy The Circle Desk

Why It Matters

Citation checking was always good practice. Since AI hallucinations reached the courts, many firms make it a mandatory step for any AI-assisted filing, and several research platforms now flag unverifiable citations automatically.

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Related Terms

Citator
A tool that shows whether a case or statute is still good law and how later decisions have treated it.
AI hallucination
A confident but false answer from an AI tool, such as a citation to a case that does not exist or a quote no court ever wrote.
Grounding
Tying an AI answer to specific source material, such as a statute, a case or a clause, so the reader can see where each statement came from.

General information, not legal advice. Part of the Legal Tech Glossary, 173 terms in plain English.