Trying to dispute a ticket or bring a matter before a court without paying for legal counsel is very tempting now that tools like ChatGPT can produce pleadings quickly. In minutes, these systems can generate an appeal that includes legal reasoning, citations to statutes, and case law — creating the impression of saving several hundred euros.

Person typing a legal document draft on a laptopPin
AI tools can draft pleadings quickly, but errors risk admissibility.

Even Attorney Valentin Simonnet of the Paris bar admits that “in some files, hiring a lawyer is not cost-effective.” That’s often true for trivial disputes, for example when challenging a fine worth only a few dozen euros. In those situations, AI can help draft “an appeal that costs only the time of the person preparing it,” he says. But those arguments must be solid, or the savings will vanish.

A poorly assembled petition can be dismissed before the judge even examines the merits. If the deadline for filing an appeal is missed, there may be no second chance. The individual risks losing the right to appeal, being ordered to pay part of the opponent’s legal costs, and — in cases deemed abusive — facing fines that can reach €10,000. “You think you’re avoiding a lawyer, but you can end up paying much more,” Simonnet warns.

This danger is not hypothetical. On September 11, 2026, a woman in France was ordered to pay €1,000 by the administrative court in Nîmes. Her filing, prepared with the help of an AI, ran to several hundred pages and requested a huge volume of documents without actually showing that the contested decision was unlawful. The judge ruled the submission abusive. Other litigants have faced similar outcomes: a €200 fine in Grenoble in June and a €500 penalty in Rennes in August.

Why are such sanctions imposed? “An argument may be unsupported by evidence or contradicted by the exhibits, while the judge expects precise claims, established facts, and references to existing law,” Simonnet explains. In Grenoble, a more than 300-page brief — clearly produced by an AI — even cited court decisions that do not exist. Mistakes aren’t limited to faulty legal references. “AI often smooths language by making concessions, because that makes the text read more balanced,” the attorney cautions.

To reduce risk, the lawyer recommends first gathering the evidence, then verifying the statutes cited, the applicable deadlines, and any required procedural steps. Even a single consultation with an attorney can prevent an irreversible error. After all, while “AI allows a private individual to draft in minutes a petition that resembles one from a lawyer, it does not tell them whether that petition will be admissible, whether the facts are proven, or whether the arguments are legally sound,” he concludes.

Organized stack of evidence and statute books in foldersPin
Gather evidence and verify statutes before filing to reduce risk.

Thanks to Attorney Valentin Simonnet, a member of the Paris bar.