Judge Sullivan Denies DOJ Stay Request in Epstein Files Fight (9/25/26)

Judge Emmet Sullivan denied the Justice Department’s request for a partial stay of his September 16 order requiring Todd Blanche, in his official capacity as acting attorney general, to begin reviewing and producing foreign-language materials that could fall under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Sullivan ruled that Blanche’s motion could be denied on procedural grounds alone because the government failed to comply with a local rule requiring lawyers to confer with opposing counsel before filing a nondispositive motion. The court noted that the government filed the stay request late on September 18 and asked for an expedited ruling by September 21 without first notifying Katie Phang’s attorneys. Sullivan rejected the government’s suggestion that the consultation requirement might not technically apply and said the failure to follow the rule was sufficient reason to deny the motion.

Sullivan went further, making clear that even if the procedural violation were ignored, he would still deny the government’s request on the merits for the reasons laid out in his earlier preliminary-injunction ruling. At the same time, the judge temporarily paused the specific September 24 deadline requiring the government to begin the foreign-language review, giving Blanche an opportunity to seek a stay directly from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Once the appeals court rules on that forthcoming request, both sides must file a joint notice within three days recommending how the case should proceed. The result was therefore a loss for the government at the district-court level, but with a short temporary reprieve while it takes the dispute to the appeals court.


to contat me:


bobbycapucci@protonmail.com



source:

gov.uscourts.dcd.291779.49.0.pdf