AI and Your Legal Case: A Warning

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Claude are becoming more common in everyday life. Millions of people use them to ask questions or research issues.

But if you have a legal case, using AI can seriously harm your case.

In February, a federal court ruled that a person who used AI to ask about legal risks in his case could not keep the information he received, or his information, confidential. The court held in the case of United States v. Heppner (S.D.N.Y., Feb. 2026) that information shared with them was not protected from the discovery process.

This means that the private, legal information you type into AI sites can be exposed.

The Risks of Using AI in Your Case

Your case often depends on detailed facts like:

• How your injury happened
• Your medical condition
• Your communications with your attorney
• Your employer’s actions

Entering any of these facts into AI tools can create serious problems for your case.

1. Your Information May Be Discoverable

Anything you type into AI may be requested by the defense, including:

• Your questions
• Your version of events
• Legal strategies discussed

2. You Could Lose Attorney-Client Privilege

Confidential communications with your lawyer are protected. But that protection can be lost if you share the same information with AI.

3. AI Can Give Wrong Advice

AI tools are just that: tools. They cannot replace trained lawyers. AI generates an answer from internet sources, and some of those may be wrong or outdated. They can misstate the law, miss important facts and even suggest harmful actions

4. Recording Conversations Can Backfire

Using AI to summarize or record conversations with may:

• Expose confidential communications
• Allow the defense to access them

5. Can Attorneys Use AI?

Attorneys can use AI to help with your case and that process remains confidential. At Johnson & Groninger, we use secure and closed systems to do research, and to check sources.

What You Should Do Instead of Exposing Your Information

If you have questions about your case, speak directly with your attorney. Keep your information private and do not upload or share case details with AI.

The Bottom Line

AI may seem convenient, but in a legal case it can:

• Expose sensitive information
• Destroy confidentiality
• Harm your claim

If you are unsure whether something is safe, do not do it. Contact your attorney instead. At Johnson & Groninger, we are committed to protecting your case and getting the best possible result for you.