Federal Prosecutor Used Fabricated Quotes in Court Filing (2)

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sat Mar 7, 2026, 02:34 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: Bloomberg Law

Federal Prosecutor Used Fabricated Quotes in Court Filing (2)

March 6, 2026, 4:55 PM EST; Updated: March 6, 2026, 9:08 PM EST

Ben Penn
Senior Reporter
Email Ben Penn
Tweet Ben Penn


Justice Department lawyers in North Carolina are facing possible sanctions for what a magistrate judge called "fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings."
Photographer: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

An assistant US attorney in North Carolina filed a response with the court that included "fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings" and then made "false or misleading statements" of how they got included, a magistrate judge said.

"Because of the seriousness of these issues," senior leaders from the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina must appear at a show cause hearing next week for why the federal prosecutor responsible shouldn't be sanctioned and why the entire office shouldn't be held jointly responsible, US Magistrate Judge Robert Numbers said in a March 2 order. ... The US attorney's office is representing the Defense Department in a lawsuit by a North Carolina pro se litigant challenging a policy limiting availability of GLP-1 weight loss medications for TRICARE for Life participants.

The plaintiff asserted that a response brief signed by assistant US attorney Rudy Renfer included fabricated quotes and misstated the holdings of several cases. In a reply, Renfer said he "inadvertently included incorrect citations to case law from this circuit" and attributed the errors to the "inadvertent filing of an unfinalized draft document," Numbers said in his order.

{snip}

The pro se plaintiff who caught the errors, Derence Fivehouse, is a retired Air Force colonel and an attorney himself. He's a former staff judge advocate (1) who also served as chief of the legal counsel division (2) at the Air Force Base Conversion Agency in the George W. Bush administration ... In an email to Bloomberg Law Friday night, Fivehouse credited the court for identifying "the most significant issues" after he flagged "a few case misrepresentations."

{snip}

The case is Fivehouse v. Defense Dept., E.D.N.C., No. 2:25-cv-00041. (3)

(Updated with comment from plaintiff.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Ben Penn in Washington at [e-mail]

To contact the editors: Seth Stern in Washington at [e-mail]

(1) https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA281364.pdf
(2) https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2002-10-01/pdf/CDIR-2002-10-01-DEPARTMENTS-3.pdf
(3) https://www.bloomberglaw.com/product/blaw/document/X1Q6OSEMSL82?criteria_idb64c7b3d6a191c07d4e465a2d29c366e&searchGuid30d7d168-a18d-472b-9323-9326354ec987

Read more: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/federal-prosecutor-used-fabricated-quotes-false-cites-in-filing

---

I am editing this story as I go along, so replies might raise issues that were addressed in an edit made after the reply was posted.

The skeet misidentified the pro se litigant as the defendant. He is the plaintiff.

Hat tip, Ken White

Reposted by Special Envoy for the Shield of the Popehats
https://bsky.app/profile/kenwhite.bsky.social

NEWS: A Justice Dept. line attorney in North Carolina fabricated quotes in court filing, causing judge to order hearing to consider sanctions and holding entire US attorney’s office jointly responsible.
Pro se defendant flagged the errors.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-06T22:50:39.106Z

*******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

NEWS: A Justice Dept. line attorney in North Carolina fabricated quotes in court filing, causing judge to order hearing to consider sanctions and holding entire US attorney's office jointly responsible.
Pro se defendant flagged the errors.
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/federal-prosecutor-used-fabricated-quotes-false-cites-in-filing

Federal Prosecutor Used Fabricated Quotes in Court Filing
An assistant US attorney in North Carolina filed a response with the court that included "fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings" and then made "false or misleading statements" of ho...
news.bloomberglaw.com
5:50 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

*Pro se plaintiff suing the government, not defendant

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T00:28:37.162Z

*******

Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

*Pro se plaintiff suing the government, not defendant
7:28 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

Story is updated to note that pro se plaintiff Derence Fivehouse appears to be a retired colonel and former Air Force attorney.

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T01:25:14.530Z

*******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

Story is updated to note that pro se plaintiff Derence Fivehouse appears to be a retired colonel and former Air Force attorney.
8:25 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

Another update: Retired Air Force colonel & staff judge advocate Derence Fivehouse emails to say he hopes to learn whether the fabricated "language originated with the signing attorney or was incorporated from another source. That question deserves a clear answer.”

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T02:14:38.521Z

*******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

Another update: Retired Air Force colonel & staff judge advocate Derence Fivehouse emails to say he hopes to learn whether the fabricated "language originated with the signing attorney or was incorporated from another source. That question deserves a clear answer.”
9:14 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

Thanks! To clarify, he emailed you directly?

— Wichelhaus (@formertwtruser.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T02:15:30.857Z

*******
Wichelhaus
‪@formertwtruser.bsky.social‬

Thanks! To clarify, he emailed you directly?
9:15 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

Correct

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T02:17:08.823Z

*******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

Correct
9:18 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

Correct

— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T02:21:03.705Z

*******
Ben Penn
‪@benjaminpenn.bsky.social‬

Correct
9:22 PM · Mar 6, 2026
*******

[pnwmom]

1. I bet that pro-se plaintiff took them by surprise! n/t

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. He's a lawyer but he is representing himself. I guess that still gets the "pro se" designation.

The pro se plaintiff who caught the errors, Derence Fivehouse, is a retired Air Force colonel and an attorney himself. He's a former staff judge advocate who also served as chief of the legal counsel division at the Air Force Base Conversion Agency in the George W. Bush administration

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. I need to point out that reply #1 was posted before I edited the OP

Last edited Sat Mar 7, 2026, 04:21 AM - Edit history (1)

to add the info that the plaintiff is himself an attorney.

I am posting from an Amazon Fire, so articles get posted in dribs and drabs.

And good morning.

[pnwmom]

6. The legal document would just show him as a pro se plaintiff.

Those cover pages don't show a person's resume, so I bet the govt. lawyers didn't spot the name of a lawyer who'd served in W's administration.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Court Finds Federal Prosecutor Filed Brief Containing Fabricated Quotes

Court Finds Federal Prosecutor Filed Brief Containing Fabricated Quotes

Published on:
Mar. 3, 2026

An assistant U.S. attorney in North Carolina, Rudy Renfer, filed a court response containing “fabricated quotations and misstatements of case holdings” and then made “false or misleading statements” about how they were included, a federal court found according to a Bloomberg article.

“Because of the seriousness of these issues,” senior leaders from the Eastern District of North Carolina’s U.S. Attorney’s Office must appear at a show cause hearing to explain why Renfer shouldn’t be sanctioned and why the office shouldn’t be held jointly responsible, the court said.

“Having reviewed the filings in this matter and other submissions by Renfer, the court has serious concerns about the accuracy of certain quotations and representations in Renfer’s filings and the explanation offered for their inclusion,” the court said.

The court identified several fabricated quotes and misstatements of multiple circuit court opinions, as well as two fabricated quotes from the Code of Federal Regulations.

The case is Fivehouse v. Defense Dept., No. 2:25-cv-00041 (E.D.N.C.).

[barbtries]

7. that tracks.

North Carolina, this state where i live, where republicans rule.

so, they're catapulting the propaganda into the Court.

[popsdenver]

21. I am still fascinated

by all the Trumphumping Republican voters in all the red states, like this one, who believe that THEY will come out of this unscathed..........despite evidence already being displayed to the opposite........

Florida being a prime example.......If only they had a single Hurricane last year, and got a taste of what Trump's FEMA WOULDN'T have done for them, maybe that would have wised up a few of them in that state. But even then, I doubt it.
THE RepubliCONs truly lucked out on that one........

[wolfie001]

8. tRUMP prosecutors are caught lying in court filings. I'm shocked........

[popsdenver]

20. Not surprising at all, is it wolfie??????

The Republican CABAL has obliterated our Judicial and Legislative Branches at all levels........
They selectively use them, only when they feel the law suits them...........

All of these who face "sanctions" should be incarcerated, and at a minimum lose their law licenses anywhere in this country, forever........

It is absolutely un-fathomable, the destruction that is being done by Republicans, Corporations, and Trump at orders of Putin..

Frankly nothing like this could have happened if it weren't for the U.S. CORPORATIONS, financially backing every Republican in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House, as well as paying for the Republican Justices in the U.S. Supreme Court....

I am waiting for the United States of America to be renamed: THE UNITED CORPORATIONS OF AMERICA......

[wolfie001]

25. Ruff ruff!

Wolfie's in agreement! lol

[popsdenver]

30. WASF Wolfie......

love your name......LOL

[wolfie001]

31. Thanks Pops!

Named after my fave pupper! Up there in doggie heaven.

[popsdenver]

32. I was thinking

what Amadeus' wife used to call him instead of Wolfgang.......

[wolfie001]

33. I'm sure that's why I called him that

One of my favorite movies of all time. The opening symphony #25. So great!

[popsdenver]

34. Yes

One of my top ten movies of all time.............All acting was superior..........

[pfitz59]

9. The professionals were fired or quit

what's left are third tier MAGA zealots

[highplainsdem]

10. It's very likely the fabricated quotes happened because of stupid use of AI (using AI without checking

every detail of every result is always stupid), which Bloomberg mentioned. The stupid and apparently AI-using attorney hasn't yet confirmed that AI was used, but has been asked about it.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/federal-prosecutor-used-fabricated-quotes-false-cites-in-filing

Although it’s not yet clear what caused the error, it comes as judges and opposing counsel have accused attorneys of AI-generated fabrications in filings, leading to monetary penalties in some instances. A spokesperson for the Raleigh-based US attorney’s office didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether Renfer was using an AI tool to help draft his briefs.

[cbabe]

11. Pretty soon will have an ai raised and 'educated'

citizenry who can’t discern ai slop from the real.

A lawyer I know is already seeing this. If you don’t know what’s correct then you can’t review for it.

Like the kids who don’t know where east and west are. They just look at their phones for where to go.

[highplainsdem]

14. Generative AI is the greatest tech ever for dumbing down users. It would be doing that even if it

could be counted on for accuracy and real intelligence.

But since it can never be depended on - can always be hallucinating/fabricating results - people are surrendering their own ability to think to idiot machines.

[Martin68]

15. Let's hope the opposite is true: after repeated court cases and other events negatively impacted by the use of AI, the

population will have a better understanding of the weaknesses in AI and better able to discern its effects. If enough lawyers have their reputations ruined by the careless use of AI, successful lawyers will learn how to use AI more judiciously and with better oversight.

[cbabe]

16. Perhaps. But sadly not all the children are above average.

[Martin68]

18. Most of the graduates of our leading law schools are. And I assume schools will increasingly include education about

the strengths and weaknesses of of AI as we learn more about both. We used to conduce atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons until we became aware of the effects that could have on the health of the population. There is a learning curve.

[popsdenver]

22. It's not only AI

The Corporations, Heritage Foundation, 2025 crowd and Lobbyists write the papers, and just give them to Politicians and Legal crowd to just present as their own........In Congress, AND the courts......

[Ocelot II]

27. It wouldn't be just AI, though that's probably the main source.

Any time you cite a case you have to cite check it, meaning that it really says what you claim it says and that it hasn't been overruled or distinguished. Maybe AI is supposed to be doing this, too, but at some point there has to be a human editor.

[Ilikepurple]

28. Yes, it doesn't take much to use a citator and even less to check the original cite.

I certainly don’t have any direct knowledge and understand the compulsion to blame AI, but I’m growing less trusting of claims made by the DOJ. Unless there’s a new cutout for AI use, there’s still a duty to present accurate and current case law. I do wonder if wishful AI prompts might be more likely to color the response attorneys get? If it is AI at the root, these kind of mistakes will cost lives in court, in surgery, in engineering, and other professions. I don’t think we can turn back the clock, so I hope every professional organization remains vigilant and transparent about the limitations of AI.

[Ocelot II]

29. From what I've been reading about the state of the US Attorneys offices

(certainly the one in my district, which has lost more than half of its lawyers in the last six months), they are in sorry shape. A lot of lawyers, probably the best ones, have either been fired or have quit because they wouldn't do the unethical things their DoJ bosses wanted them to do. They've been trying to hire but there's a loyalty test; lawyers have to agree to advance the interests of Trump, not neutrally follow the law, so the best people aren't applying any more. AUSA jobs were once really desirable and prestigious (I actually got an AUSA interview as a new law grad, and even though I didn't get the job I was pretty proud of myself for just getting the interview); now they can't get anybody except hard-core MAGAs or people who are so desperate for a job that they'll agree to compromise their ethics. As a result the offices are so thinly and incompetently staffed that they're throwing their assignments into the AI cesspool and not cite-checking or editing the results just in order to get their work done on time.

[Old Crank]

12. Bondi's bozos

At work again.

Oooo we sent in the wrong filing. Sorry about that.
Courts have been catching the DOJ s lawyers in all sorts of fraudulent filings and statements. The lawyers will get a very short leash if the judge doesn't remove them entirely.

This is why Bondi wants to have say over state bars.

[popsdenver]

23. Not in the U.S. Supreme Court

Or Republican appointed judges in the lower courts................They haven't been catching a profound amount of crap going on....

[Martin68]

13. Business as usual for the Trump DOJ.

[Renew Deal]

17. This might be an AI case and they don't want to admit it

Because it's pretty unlikely that "fabricated quotes" would be sourced some other way

[Quanto Magnus]

19. Sactioned aka slap on the wrist....

The liars need to spend time in jail and be disbarred. They need time to think about their choices in life, isolated from the rest of the citizenry.

[pat_k]

24. I think the regime's incompetents assume everyone else is as incompetent as they are, so they won't get "caught" in lies

One thing that is probably true is that the assumption that assertions in court filings are true has allowed these people to get away with lies, particularly early on when assumptions of integrity hadn't been smashed to smithereens.

Now plaintiff's in cases against the regime and courts hearing cases brought by or against the regime "get it" that the felon's appointees and sycophants make things up as a matter of standard practice.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

26. A good number of the good DOJ attorneys have left

The DOJ has been gutted of the competent attorneys by trump