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A New York appellate judge interrupted a self-represented litigant’s oral argument after a video began with a synthetic avatar addressing the court. The reported objection was that the avatar had not been disclosed in advance—not a blanket ruling that AI-generated videos cannot be used in court.
What happened in court?
On March 26, 2025, Jerome Dewald appeared before New York’s Supreme Court, Appellate Division, during an employment dispute with MassMutual Metro New York. At oral argument, he asked to play a video. It opened with a synthetic male avatar speaking to the five-justice panel.
Associate Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels interrupted and asked whether the speaker was counsel. Dewald explained that the figure was not a real person. The Register reported the judge’s response: “It would have been nice to know that when you made your application. You did not tell me that, sir.” She also said, “I don’t appreciate being misled.” The exchange was sharp, but the reports describe an interrupted presentation—not a trial over forensic video evidence or a ruling on whether AI evidence was admissible.
Why did the judge object?
The reported point of friction was the undisclosed synthetic person in the video. The judge said she had not been told that the presentation would show an artificially generated image. The incident coverage does not establish that the court objected to every use of video or to AI as a tool in general.
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Dewald told The Register that he had asked in advance for permission to give a presentation because extended speaking was difficult for him, and that the court had granted permission. In his account, the court was prepared for a presentation but not for an artificially generated image. Those details are Dewald’s explanation in an interview, not findings established by the court in the reporting.
Was the avatar a digital replica of Dewald?
No, according to Dewald’s account to The Register. He said he had tried to create a replica of himself using Tavus, but those attempts failed, so he used a stock avatar called Jim instead. The figure seen in the video was therefore described as a stock synthetic person, not a likeness of Dewald.
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Dewald later said he apologized and called the lack of full transparency “a mistake.” The Register also reported that he had used generative AI to draft a script and checked it himself. That account does not mean the court approved AI-generated legal arguments generally.
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The reports do not describe a general ban. They document a particular exchange during oral argument after a synthetic avatar appeared without the judge expecting one. They do not report a broader ruling that AI avatars or synthetic videos are inadmissible in court.
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For litigants, the practical distinction is between asking to present an argument by video and disclosing what that video will contain. Permission for a format should not be assumed to cover an undisclosed synthetic speaker. Anyone seeking to use a video in a court appearance should describe its contents and format to the court beforehand and follow the court’s instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the coverage establishes—and what it does not
The Register’s April 9, 2025 report includes Dewald’s explanation and short excerpts of the exchange; Futurism’s April 13, 2025 article summarizes the incident. Their accounts support describing a judge’s objection to an undisclosed avatar and a presentation that was interrupted. They do not establish a general court policy on AI-generated material, a legal precedent excluding it, or a formal finding that Dewald intended to mislead the court.
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