Slow Flow in D.C. Courts

Between myriad delays and an increasingly activist approach, companies facing litigation in D.C. must expand their universe of potential risks

The D.C. courts are facing significant delays across the board. There are several reasons: a backlog of cases brought during the pan­demic; a backlog of trials after pandemic delays; cases related to the events of January 6, 2021; an uptick in important criminal and national security cases of the type DDC typically hears; and an unprecedented degree of staff burnout and attrition as the D.C. U.S. attorney’s of­fice struggles to keep up with the caseload. To succeed, litigants will have to adjust to the slow pace of litigation.

A Harbinger of Things to Come

Add to this an increasingly activist approach from the D.C. AG’s office to protecting the rights of its jurisdiction’s residents, consumers, and employees. While part of a nationwide trend, the office has been leading the charge, filing cases in local and federal courts that are setting the pace for AGs elsewhere.

Read the complete article in the Litigation Forecast 2023.