Federal lawyers defending the U.S. Government in hundreds of lawsuits connected to decades of contaminated drinking water aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune attempted to halt all deadlines connected to the case until two weeks after the government shutdown ends.
A motion to stay was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on October 1 stated that the lapse in appropriations resulted in the mandatory furlough of DoJ lawyers, who are prohibited by law from working (even on a voluntary basis) except in very limited circumstances, including “emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.”
The DoJ also asked the court to extend all deadlines for 30 days.
Related content: Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series
J. Edward Bell is Lead Counsel of the Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group and on October 3 he filed a formal opposition to the motion to stay.
On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert B. Jones, Jr. said in a written order denying the stay that, as the Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group pointed out in its response, “A large majority of the Plaintiffs in the CLJA litigation is an ailing and older population, and further delay will only compound the problem of seeing their cases reach conclusion.
He added that the requested stay, of an indeterminable length, would be a severe disruption to the case deadlines the court has established and cause undue delay to the resolution of the cases, and he denied the government’s blanket motion.
“In sum,” Jones said, ”The court finds no good cause to support the motion, nor would allowing the motion help foster a just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of these cases.”
Separately, Judge Jones ruled this week that highly sensitive personal medical information of the victims suing the federal government remain under seal and not be shared publicly.
