AI in Arizona family court: fake citations, altered evidence, and where judges drew the line

More people than ever are drafting court papers with AI chatbots — especially people representing themselves in divorce and custody cases. In 2026, Arizona’s courts made it clear that the tools are allowed, but the responsibility stays with the person filing.

Fake citations can be sanctioned — even by accident

In July 2026, Arizona’s Court of Appeals issued a published opinion in Dineen/Shibata v. Kotchka addressing filings that cited cases which don’t exist. As reported by KJZZ, the court held that citing AI-invented authority can be sanctioned whether or not the filer meant to mislead — and that the rule applies to self-represented people, not only lawyers. The court struck the citations and awarded part of the other side’s attorney fees.

An AI tool can produce a confident, properly formatted citation to a case that was never decided. If you can’t find it in an official source, don’t file it.

Judges: AI as a tool, not a decider

In August 2026, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to adopt a proposed rule that would have banned judges from using AI. Instead, the court said it will keep testing the technology under existing policy. Judicial use of AI is governed by the court’s administrative code, and the court’s AI steering committee is due to report back by March 1, 2027. The court’s announcement was clear that judges may not use AI to make their decisions.

Altered evidence carries consequences

Deepfaked screenshots, edited audio and doctored photos are a growing concern in family cases. Since January 1, 2026, Arizona’s protective-order rules allow sanctions for offering false or materially altered evidence. And in custody matters, the 2026 Alec and Lydia Act lists tracking technology used to monitor or stalk among the forms of coercive control courts must consider.

A safe checklist if you use AI

Do	Don’t
Use AI to organize your timeline and questions	Paste in citations you haven’t verified
Check every statute on azleg.gov	Rely on AI summaries of “what the law says”
Keep original files, with metadata, for any evidence	Edit, crop or “enhance” screenshots you’ll submit
Ask the court’s self-help center about forms	Assume a chatbot knows Maricopa County procedures

Where an attorney helps

An attorney won’t just check citations — they know which evidence a judge will actually find persuasive, how to authenticate it, and how to challenge the other side’s if it looks manipulated.

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