Court Rejects FCC Request to Delay Net Neutrality Lawsuit During Shutdown
A federal judge denies the FCC's attempt to postpone its net neutrality court battle due to the government shutdown, scheduling oral arguments for February 1. The decision leaves the agency scrambling to prepare without its furloughed staff.
A federal judge rejects the FCC's request to delay a major net neutrality lawsuit despite the ongoing government shutdown. Oral arguments challenging the agency's rollback of 2015 internet regulations proceed as scheduled on February 1. The court declines to grant the postponement, siding with industry group INCOMPAS which argues that previous shutdowns did not warrant such delays.
The shutdown prevents most federal employees from working without specific authorization, leaving many FCC staff members stuck at home. The agency asks for a postponement because it lacks access to its usual experts and lawyers to prepare for the complex case. However, the D.C. Circuit Appeals Court denies this motion and insists that the legal battle moves forward on its original timeline.
This ruling creates a significant disadvantage for the FCC as it tries to defend its controversial repeal of net neutrality rules. With its staff furloughed and unable to brief lawyers or update arguments, the agency appears caught flat-footed. Meanwhile, net neutrality advocates celebrate the ruling, as the lawsuit raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of the new rules and the process used to create them.