WASHINGTON, D.C. (Michigan News Source) – If you’ve ever wondered why cases inch through the federal courts like molasses in January, government lawyers now have an explanation: they say they’re drowning in litigation.
In a recent filing in Reven Holdings, Inc. v. United States, Department of Justice attorneys formally asked for yet another extension, citing being furloughed during the government shutdown, staff turnover, vacations, funding lapses, and too many cases. The filing goes so far as to catalog 16 other cases and tasks that are competing for the attention of the trial attorney.
A case about delay now delayed again.
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The Reven Holdings, Inc. case involves a Delaware Company operating in Michigan and Colorado that has sued the federal government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on a takings claim which started in August of 2024. It alleges that prolonged government action has caused significant financial harm to its business including losing patent rights and intellectual property for what they deem to be a “miracle drug.” The case has already involved multiple rounds of briefings, supplemental filings, and court-ordered deadlines, making timing and delays central issues in the litigation itself. Court documents show the DOJ requested three different extensions adding up to more than a 180-day extension plus an additional 42 days due to the government shutdown.
In the latest filing on January 13, the federal government requested 37 extra days to respond, explaining that the assigned lawyer is juggling an eye-watering list of cases across multiple federal courts while also trying to get up to speed on a case she inherited midstream. Additionally, the government’s filing also admits, “And, in the month between the date when Reven Holdings filed its second supplemental brief on December 19, 2025 (ECF No. 26), and the Government’s January 20, 2026, deadline, undersigned counsel was on pre- planned leave.”
The government is now required to submit their latest filings by February 26 to respond to plaintiffs’ October 27, 2025 and December 19, 2025 filings. Reven is hoping the deadline holds up this time as they are eager for the case to move forward.
Justice delayed, irony delivered.
The irony of the government requesting a delay is hard to miss: they are asking for yet another delay in a Michigan-linked case where the core allegation is that government delay itself helped destroy a business. In other words, federal lawyers say they need more time to respond because they are overwhelmed – while defending a system accused of moving so slowly that it allegedly caused real- world financial damage.
For the plaintiff, the court-approved delay reads less like a scheduling necessity and more as confirmation of the problem itself – justice postponed. Company officials released the following statement on the situation, “We recognize that DOJ attorneys are under considerable workload pressure. Let’s not forget that while Reven shareholders continue to suffer considerable financial losses caused by the continued delays, there’s also a tremendous loss inflicted on humanity, because despite clinical evidence showing RJX’s effectiveness against sepsis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious conditions – with no major side effects – this treatment remains unavailable to the public.”
The statement goes on to say, “The irony is striking: after more than three years of deliberate delay tactics by the SEC, tactics that resulted in the loss of our patents and company, and ultimately sparked this takings case, the DOJ is now employing the same playbook. These ongoing intentional delays only deepen the harm we’re trying to remedy. Furthermore, these tactics only exacerbate the ultimate penalty and financial responsibility incurred by the Government with each postponement. We understand that the judge handling the takings case is not at fault and is following proper procedures ensuring justice is sought every step of the way. Still, both the DOJ in the takings case and the SEC in the original case are aware that many businesses will simply give up amid these drawn-out delays. The system needs to work fairly for everyone—businesses and citizens alike seeking relief. We remain hopeful that the court will ensure a prompt and just resolution.”
“This job sucks” says DOJ attorney.
The Michigan case doesn’t appear to be an outlier though. The same complaints about a heavy workload bubbled into public view last week when a DOJ lawyer reportedly melted down in open court, bluntly venting about workload pressures and professional burnout. The outburst was reported by Fox 9 in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.
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During a court exchange about immigration orders, DOJ attorney Julie Le told the judge that the strain of the work had become overwhelming, saying, “I wish you would just hold me in contempt of court so I can get 24 hours of sleep.” She added, “The system sucks, this job sucks, I am trying with every breath I have to get you what I need.” Judge Jerry Blackwell, concerned that his orders were being ignored and that immigrant detainees were being held unconstitutionally long, pressed Le on the delays, prompting her to explain that government attorneys are unable to keep up with the volume of cases tied to Operation Metro Surge, a major federal immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota.
A justice system stuck in gridlock.
There may be another reason DOJ attorneys are drowning in work – and some of it traces straight back to Democrats like Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who has filed or joined 45 federal lawsuits challenging actions by the Trump administration.
That legal blitz isn’t accidental either. In April 2025, Rep. Laura Friedman (D-CA) openly acknowledged on C-SPAN that Democrats are working “non-stop” to block the Trump agenda through coordinated litigation. She said in a video, “Every single week, we have a litigation working group where a large group of us, and I’m talking there’s maybe 75 members of the House, sit down every single week with the AGs to talk about legal strategy. This is all going on every single week behind the scenes. It is non-stop.”
Whether litigation backlog is caused by staffing failures, shutdown chaos, an overwhelming caseload, or a coordinated flood of politically driven litigation, the result is the same: a justice system grinding down under its own weight. For Michigan businesses like Reven Holdings, that slowdown isn’t theoretical – it’s financial, tangible, and ongoing. When the federal government admits it can’t keep up, while simultaneously defending delays accused of destroying livelihoods, the question isn’t just how busy DOJ lawyers are. It’s whether the system they serve is still capable of delivering timely justice at all – or whether delay has quietly become policy.
