Blackburn has missed at least some of the monthly payments, triggering the contempt-show-cause order requiring him to appear before the court in 2026. The specific details of which payments remain outstanding are not yet public.
The case signals a shift in judicial enforcement. Courts are moving beyond monetary sanctions toward contempt proceedings when attorneys fail to pay for or correct AI-related misconduct. Judges increasingly treat misuse of AI in legal research as a serious breach of professional responsibility, particularly where attorneys ignore sanctions orders or continue to misrepresent case law. Attorneys relying on AI research tools should expect courts to treat noncompliance with sanctions orders as grounds for contempt rather than as a cost of doing business.