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The SEC v. Ripple Labs lawsuit is soon to enter mid-fall. Alas, the theme of the season seems to be extensions and delays as both parties are divided over the same.
Just recently, the American regulator requested that the expert rebuttal report deadline be moved to 12 November and expert discovery be pushed to 2022.
However, another group wants to be heard. John E. Deaton, Counsel for Amici Curiae – or “friends of the court” – has now filed a letter asking U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres to consider the views of XRP holders.
A ‘friend’s’ perspective
Though Deaton is worried about “annoying” the court, his filing referenced the SEC’s call for a two-month extension. He requested,
“…please accept this letter to serve as both the application for XRP Holders to offer their perspective, as well as an offer of proof of said perspective.”
What’s more, Deaton confirmed that he will not repeat any points made by the defendants in this case. Even so, he stated,
“In opposing the SEC’s request for this delay, Ripple’s argument focuses on how the “freezing” of XRP markets within the United States impacts Ripple. The negative impact on XRP Holders is even more profound.”
So, how many investors reportedly really want to join the crypto-lawyer? Well, Deaton claimed that as of 19 October, over 50,000 XRP holders had reached out to him in order to be part of the “putative class.”
Just a very brief letter asking the Judge to please consider the impact that a delay has on #XRPHolders. https://t.co/vS5kNkZEZQ
— John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) October 20, 2021
As previously reported, the San Francisco-based blockchain company consented to push the rebuttal report deadline to 12 November. However, it is against the expert discovery deadline being moved to 14 January. Ripple opposed the extension, claiming that “further delay would prejudice Ripple and the market for XRP.”
For his part, Deaton also noted that many major exchanges had de-listed XRP due to its legal troubles in the USA. Additionally, he also pointed out that XRP in retirement brokerage accounts had been “frozen.”
In essence, Deaton claimed,
“Any delay in the underlying action marks yet another day XRP Holders do not have access to their funds.”
Checking in on XRP
One source of contention in recent days has been how the SEC’s extension request would affect XRP’s performance. The SEC claimed that XRP sales are “robust” and that the asset had seen price rises even during the lawsuit. Ripple, however, claimed that despite the rise in price, XRP has been “lagging behind the market.”
At press time, XRP was trading at $1.10, well below the levels it hit a few months ago.
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