German Federal Labor Court rejects legal brief with fabricated judgments

The Federal Labor Court (BAG) has dismissed a non-admission appeal as inadmissible after determining that a legal brief was not properly reviewed by the representing attorney. The document in question, submitted by a specialist in labor law, lacked official firm letterhead and featured unusual formatting, including excessive bold and underlined text.

Crucially, the brief contained numerous fabricated court decisions. While there is an increasing trend of lawyers facing scrutiny for the unverified use of artificial intelligence, the BAG concluded that this specific instance likely stemmed from human error, as the attorney failed to exercise independent responsibility for the content they signed. The court noted that an attorney who signs a third-party brief is obligated to verify its contents thoroughly.