On June 30, 2026, CBC News and CBC Radio’s As It Happens featured Courtready’s research on AI-hallucinated case law. The finding at the centre of the coverage: more than eight in ten Canadians who file non-existent cases are representing themselves.
In CBC News
CBC News journalist Caitlyn Gowriluk reported on a self-represented litigant in Manitoba who filed non-existent cases at the Manitoba Court of Appeal. The story refers to Courtready’s AI-hallucinated case law database, in which more than 80 per cent of those found to have filed fictitious cases were representing themselves. It frames the problem as an access-to-justice issue, and notes that more education is needed to help people understand the risks.
On As It Happens
Courtready co-founder Tom Macintosh Zheng joined CBC Radio’s As It Happens, with hosts Nil Köksal and Chris Howden, to talk about why fabricated case law keeps reaching the courts. Most of the people filing non-existent cases, he explained, are self-represented and acting in good faith, often because they cannot afford a lawyer. His advice for anyone who has to rely on AI came down to two steps.
- Ask the AI to list every case it relied on. Then take that list and check each case against an authoritative source such as CanLII. If a case cannot be found there, do not put it in your document.
- Make sure you understand and agree with everything the AI tells you. Once a document goes before a judge, you own what is in it, whether or not an AI wrote it. You are the one held responsible, not the AI company.
If you must rely on AI, verify every case it gives you.