It was supposed to be a standard defense for the Alabama Department of Corrections. Instead, it became a national cautionary tale about "hallucinations" and the risks of modern legal tech. If you’ve been following the news in Alabama legal circles lately, the name Matthew Reeves Butler Snow has likely popped up, usually tied to a headlines about artificial intelligence and federal sanctions.
But this isn't just about a lawyer getting caught using ChatGPT. It’s actually a pretty complicated look at how a massive law firm handles a high-stakes prison lawsuit when the tech goes sideways. Honestly, it’s the kind of story that makes every paralegal and junior associate in the country double-check their Westlaw citations twice before hitting "file."
The Moment Things Went Wrong
In early 2024, everything seemed business as usual. Matthew B. Reeves, a partner at the Huntsville office of Butler Snow LLP, was part of a team defending the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections. They were dealing with a lawsuit from an inmate at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility. The inmate alleged he hadn't been protected from multiple stabbings.
Heavy stuff.
To support their motions, the legal team filed documents containing several case citations. The problem? Those cases didn't exist. Not in the "obscure" sense—they literally never happened. When the plaintiff’s attorneys couldn't find the cases, they flagged it. U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco did her own digging and found five citations in two separate filings that were complete "hallucinations" generated by AI.
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Reeves later admitted he used ChatGPT to research the case law. He was in a rush to get the motions filed and didn't verify the citations through Pacer or Westlaw. He basically trusted the bot, and the bot let him down.
Why the Judge Didn’t Just Issue a Fine
In many of these AI-gone-wrong cases, judges just issue a small fine and a "don't do it again" lecture. Not here. Judge Manasco was pretty clear that fabricating legal authority is a "serious misconduct" that demands more than a slap on the wrist.
She ended up publicly reprimanding three attorneys: Matthew Reeves, William Cranford, and William Lunsford. But the real sting came with the specific requirements of the sanction:
- Removal from the case: The trio was disqualified from continuing to represent the state in that specific lawsuit.
- Mandatory Disclosure: They were ordered to share the sanctions order with every single one of their clients, other judges they were appearing before, and opposing counsel in their other cases.
- Bar Referral: The matter was referred to the Alabama State Bar for potential disciplinary action.
Think about that for a second. Imagine having to tell every client you have that a federal judge sanctioned you for filing fake law. It’s a professional nightmare. Butler Snow itself issued an apology, calling the lapse "inexcusable" and against firm policy.
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A Career Built on Complex Litigation
Before this AI mess, Matthew Reeves was mostly known as a highly capable litigator. He joined Butler Snow in April 2023 when the firm made a huge power move, opening its Huntsville office by poaching 23 attorneys from Maynard Cooper & Gale.
Reeves has a pretty diverse background. We're talking about a guy who graduated from the University of Tulsa College of Law and has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for years. His practice isn't just prison law; he handles:
- Intellectual Property: Dealing with patents and trademarks.
- Commercial Litigation: Solving big business disputes.
- Real Estate: Navigating development and construction legalities.
- Government Contracts: Managing the red tape of public procurement.
He’s licensed in Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, and Tennessee. He's not some rookie; he's a seasoned partner who has been around the block. That’s probably why the judge was so surprised—and why the legal community reacted so strongly. If a partner-level attorney at a firm like Butler Snow can fall into the AI trap, anyone can.
The Cost to the State of Alabama
There’s a political angle here too. The state of Alabama pays Butler Snow a lot of money—we’re talking tens of millions—to defend its prison system. When the attorneys representing the state get kicked off a case for using fake citations, it raises questions about how taxpayer money is being spent.
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Some critics have pointed out that while the lawyers were sanctioned, the Alabama Department of Corrections initially kept the firm on for other matters. Judge Manasco even touched on this in her order, noting that sanctions have "little effect" if the client—in this case, a government agency—knows about the misconduct and keeps the attorney anyway.
Lessons for the Rest of Us
So, what does the Matthew Reeves Butler Snow situation actually teach us? It's not "don't use AI." Most firms are actually encouraging AI use for brainstorming or drafting. The lesson is about the "human in the loop" requirement.
If you're using generative AI for anything professional, you have to treat the output like it was written by a well-meaning but occasionally delusional intern. You verify everything.
What you should do next if you're a professional using these tools:
- Verify every "fact": If a tool gives you a quote, a date, or a case citation, look it up in a primary source.
- Check firm policies: Most big law firms now have specific rules about which AI tools are allowed and how they can be used. If you're a solo practitioner, write your own policy so you have a standard to stick to.
- Disclose when necessary: Some courts now require a "Certification of AI Use" where you have to swear that any AI-generated text was verified by a human. Check your local rules.
The legal world is changing fast, and while Matthew Reeves’ experience was a brutal way to learn the lesson, it has definitely set a new standard for accountability in the age of artificial intelligence.