If you face criminal charges in Philadelphia, you are probably scared and stressed. It is normal to look online for answers. Today, many people want to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT. They use them to get legal advice or even write court papers.
But is using a computer program to defend your freedom a good idea?
Michael Kotik is a local criminal defense attorney at SKA Law Group. He warns that trying to be your own lawyer with online tools is highly risky. Technology can be helpful. However, defending your rights in a Philadelphia courtroom requires a human touch.
The Trap of “Friendly” AI Answers
Why the Computer Tells You What You Want to Hear
AI chatbots learn about you over time. The program remembers the questions you ask. It also remembers what you prefer.
Because of this, the AI starts to tailor its answers . It wants to match your personal preferences. Instead of giving you the cold, hard, unbiased truth, the AI might tell you what you want to hear.
In a criminal case, this “friendly” bias is dangerous. If you face jail time, you do not need a computer program to make you feel good. You need the raw truth about your case and the local laws.
Why Google Might Actually Be a Better Research Friend
Do you want to look up legal facts on your own? Attorney Kotik says using a normal search engine like Google is often safer than relying on AI.
When you use Google, the search engine does not try to build a single answer for you. Instead, it gives you a list of different websites and sources. This forces you to look at different viewpoints. You must evaluate the facts yourself. It reduces the chance of you getting a biased answer.
Still, a computer cannot replace a real lawyer. Only a real attorney knows the local courts. Only a human can understand the unique facts of your case.
When Robots Make Up “Fake” Laws: The Shocking Truth About AI Hallucinations
The Famous Airplane Case That Changed the Legal World
AI programs do not think like humans. They are built to predict the next word in a sentence. This means they can make things up when they do not know the answer. In the tech world, this is called an “AI hallucination” .
In 2023, a famous lawsuit called Mata v. Avianca, Inc. showed how dangerous these mistakes can be. A man sued an airline because a metal food cart hurt his knee. His lawyers used ChatGPT to write their court papers.
The problem was that ChatGPT completely made up six fake court cases. It invented fake quotes. It also made up fake case names, like Varghese v. China Southern Airlines .
The airline’s lawyers tried to look up these cases. The judge tried to find them too. No one could find them anywhere. The judge dismissed the lawsuit. He also fined the lawyers $5,000 for using fake AI-generated laws.
This is not a rare problem. A study by Stanford University showed that ChatGPT makes mistakes on complex legal questions 69% to 88% of the time. Even expensive, professional legal AI tools made mistakes 17% to 34% of the time.
How a Pennsylvania Court Threw Out a Case Over AI Mistakes
You might think this only happens in big federal cases. But AI mistakes are happening right here in Pennsylvania.
In a 2025 Pennsylvania case called Saber v. Navy Federal Credit Union, a person representing themselves used AI to write their appeal papers. The AI made up fake legal cases. The person put those fake cases into their court filing.
The Pennsylvania Superior Court caught the fake cases. The court threw out the fake citations. It ruled that the person’s legal issues were “waived”.
In plain English, “waived” means the court refused to listen to the person’s arguments. The court did this because the person used fake AI laws. The person lost their legal rights and their entire appeal. They lost because they trusted an algorithm.
Strict Rules in Philadelphia’s Courtrooms
Philadelphia Federal Courts Require Full AI Disclosure
Because of these massive mistakes, judges in Philadelphia have set up very strict rules. Federal Judge Michael M. Baylson hears cases right here in Philly. His courtroom is at the federal courthouse for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He was one of the very first judges in the country to create an AI rule.
What is Judge Baylson’s rule? If a lawyer or a regular citizen uses AI to write court papers, they must say so in a clear statement. They must also sign a paper certifying that they checked every single citation. They must verify that every citation is 100% real and accurate. If a person fails to follow this rule, their case can be thrown out.
The Local Rules for Philadelphia Lawyers
The local legal community is taking this threat very seriously. In May 2024, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association teamed up. They released a major guideline called Joint Formal Opinion 2024-200.
This opinion says that lawyers have a strict duty. They must check every single word and citation from an AI tool. A lawyer cannot delegate this duty back to the computer. In other words, “the computer made a mistake” is never an excuse in a Philadelphia court.
Why a Philadelphia Courtroom Needs a Human Touch
Knowing the Local Judges and District Attorneys
Defending against a criminal charge in Philadelphia is not just about reading laws. Every county in Pennsylvania does things a little bit differently.
A local Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer knows how the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office operates. They know the local judges. They understand the specific courtroom rules. They know how local prosecutors negotiate deals.
An AI program on a computer far away has no idea how things work in Philadelphia. It does not know the Stout Center for Criminal Justice in Center City.
Standing Up for Your Rights in Person
When your freedom is on the line, you need a strong advocate. You need someone who can look a jury in the eye. They must speak directly to the judge. They must also adapt fast if a witness changes their story on the stand.
A computer program cannot stand next to you at the defense table. It cannot argue for a lower bail. It cannot cross-examine a police officer.
Technology can do many things. But it cannot care about your future. If you or a loved one face criminal charges in Philadelphia, do not leave your life in the hands of an algorithm. Contact a local, experienced human attorney. They will fight for your rights and protect your freedom.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you face criminal charges in Philadelphia, contact SKA Law Group or a licensed local attorney immediately to discuss your specific case.