Deepfake technology was used to create a fake audio recording of a lawyer's client during a UK child custody battle in Dubai, raising concerns about the reliability of legal evidence.

Dubai-based family lawyer Byron James revealed that a 'heavily doctored' recording of his client appearing to utter 'violent' threats towards his wife had been presented in court, threats he claimed had not been uttered.

Experts examining the deepfake's metadata concluded the recording had been manipulated. 

If the piece of evidence had not been challenged, it would have negatively affected the client’s case by portraying him as a violent and aggressive man.

This incident raised concerns about about the reliability of legal evidence in the age of AI. It also pointed to the need for judicial training for judges and litigators to identify manipulated evidence.

News, commentary, analysis 🗞️

• https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/courts/deepfake-audio-evidence-used-in-uk-court-to-discredit-dubai-dad-1.975764

• https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/01/31/deepfake-audio-used-custody-battle-lawyer-reveals-doctored-evidence/

• https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/01/watch-out-for-deepfake-evidence-forgery-family-lawyer-warns/

• https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/courts-and-lawyers-struggle-with-growing-prevalence-of-deepfakes

• https://www.lawscot.org.uk/members/journal/issues/vol-65-issue-03/deepfakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/

• https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=be75a3a5-595b-4dc8-ac4e-7e6f0523257f