Hiding Prompt Injection in Legal Filing

Anonymous • August 31, 2026 7:41 AM

• Google bought this smart home hub just to kill it
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Winter • August 31, 2026 8:03 AM

I had the impression that trying to game legal filings in any way was a bad idea.

I think Mr Elliott will have some hurdles when trying to address the court (any court) in future. Employment in a legal profession might also face head winds.

Bcs • August 31, 2026 9:25 AM

I wonder if this sort of thing will result in the return of plain test documents as a dominant format?

Brandt • August 31, 2026 2:31 PM

Gosh Bruce, to think I actually paid for your books, when I could have just followed an archive.ph link instead.

lurker • August 31, 2026 2:32 PM

@Bcs, ALL

For this case, and this judge, yes:
“… the plaintiff is banned from filing electronic documents, and must now file printed, hard copies of his filings.”

But he is is an old-fashioned (20th century) judge:
“Used honestly, [AI tools] hold real promise, …”
Really? The people coming before him are the very folk who use tools dishonestly.

Clive Robinson • August 31, 2026 8:39 PM

@ ALL,

Something tells me that judge, Walter Spader Jr., is not exactly in contact with the reality of life, liberty and a little fun.

‘He said that, even if the attempt was a joke, that the plaintiff’s allegations are serious and that “it defies logic for them to include hidden jokes in pleadings.”’

If politicians feel it is OK to quote lines of a well known song in their parliamentary statements, then he should accept that those much higher up the greasy pole think having a sense of humour and a little fun is part and parcel of legislative proceedings and living.

Some politicians have done it to amplify a point,

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-37439332

Whilst others in effect did a “rick role round”,

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/in-elaborate-prank-oregon-lawmakers-rickroll-the-state-legislature

I’m always a little suspicious of those who climb on high horses as a way of claiming their dignity has been offended as it shows that not only do they take themselves way to seriously but also they lack a basic sense of humility if not humanity.

blaziken • September 1, 2026 12:21 AM

Just because the court does not use AI to process documents today, that doesn’t mean that they will never be read by a court appointed AI at some time in the future (for example: when deciding what to archive). At that time the hidden instructions might be irrelevant to the case, but not necessarily harmless.