Pin cites: the small habit that makes an AI-assisted memo defensible
2026-10-14 · Method
A citation without a pin cite is a claim without a home. Requiring pin cites is the cheapest check you can add to any AI workflow.
A pin cite (a page or paragraph reference) turns a citation into something a reader can verify in seconds. Requiring one for every proposition does three things: it forces the model to commit to a location, it exposes invented authorities immediately, and it makes your memo checkable by a supervisor, a client or a court. Add 'every authority needs a pin cite' to your Rules and most fabrication problems disappear at the drafting stage.
What a pin cite buys you
- A location to open and confirm.
- An early signal when the authority is invented.
- A memo a supervisor can check without re-doing the research.
Put it in the Rules
Add one line to your instructions: 'Every proposition must carry an authority with a pin cite; if you cannot provide one, mark it as reasoning.' Watch how often the model downgrades its own claims to reasoning — that is the method working.
| Draft says | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Citation | Case + year + pin cite | Case name only |
| Claim | Labelled authority or reasoning | Unlabelled confident sentence |
| Quote | Found in the judgment | 'Paraphrased' from nowhere |
Written for legal professionals. Not legal advice. Always verify every authority and let a named lawyer sign off.