Ripple Locked in Standoff with Judge Blocking SEC Accord

Litigation attorney Andrew Balthazor, who co-leads the firm's Crypto Asset Dispute Team, was quoted in a Bloomberg Law article discussing a recent court decision in which the judge refused to approve an agreement between Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to modify penalties and drop an injunction. He explained that the presence of a final judgment, combined with the judge's position, significantly limits both parties' options for settlement, given the procedural constraints under federal law. Mr. Balthazor also noted that although changes in enforcement priorities under a new presidential administration may prompt attempts to revisit the case, such political shifts do not change the laws themselves, leaving Ripple exposed to ongoing legal risk unless the court grants relief.

"Here it's a change in presidential administration and a change in enforcement priorities," he said. "[The] laws haven't changed just because there is a new presidential administration or new view on how those laws should be enforced."

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