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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

DC’s Chief Federal Judge Apologizes to Press

WASHINGTON (CN) - Chief U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth apologized to the media and the public over a series of clerical errors that defied court orders to unseal materials for the public record.

Judge Lamberth issued an order last week to unseal three applications for email account search warrants that were ordered to be unsealed - with only the email addresses redacted - more than three years ago. Another order attached to the file number shows that the case involves a secret FBI probe into Fox News reporter James Rosen.

In addition to his mea culpa, the judge announced an addition to the District Court's website where all search warrants and arrest warrants will be publically available after execution unless a separate sealing order is entered.

According to the order, the civil clerk's office of the court missed several orders from 2010 to 2011 to unseal the documents and, in one instance, attributed the order to the wrong magistrate judge.

"The court apologizes to the public and the media for the administrative errors made by the court's staff in these matters," wrote Lamberth, who discovered the clerical errors through media inquiries. "A review of the duty performance of the personnel involved is underway, as well as a review of the court's administrative process."

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