Maryland Judge Paula Xinis is at it again with President Donald Trump’s administration regarding Kilmar Abrego-Garcia.
The alleged MS-13 gang member’s lawyers complained that the administration has been stonewalling on discovery questions.
Xinis slammed the administration’s objection to certain discoveries because the “requests are based on the ‘false premise that the United States can or has been ordered to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador.'”
The judge claimed “the falsehood lies” in the administration’s supposed “mischaracterization” of the order to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return.
“Defendants’ objection reflects a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations,” wrote Xinis.
Xinis also shot down the administration’s argument over privilege because it did not provide “any supporting information.”
But then Xinis strays into a territory not used for discovery disputes:
For weeks, Defendants have sought refuge behind vague and unsubstantiated assertions of privilege, using them as a shield to obstruct discovery and evade compliance with this Court’s orders. Defendants have known, at least since last week, that this Court requires specific legal and factual showings to support any claim of privilege. Yet they have continued to rely on boilerplate assertions. That ends now. If Defendants want to preserve their privilege claims, they must support them with the required detail. Otherwise, they will lose the protections they failed to properly invoke. Accordingly, by no later than 6:00 PM on April 23, 2025, Defendants shall supplement their answers and responses to provide the specific legal and factual bases for each asserted privilege and produce a privilege log that fully complies with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Local Rules.
From what I can remember, in an early law class, a judge handled a discovery dispute with motions and sometimes assigned it to a magistrate judge.
If I am wrong, please correct me. (I have to leave soon for an appointment but will update if needed.”
Xinis also describes the government taking Abrego Garcia as a “lawless seizure.”
Um, no it was not. Abrego Garcia was an illegal alien when he was here.
This is getting ridiculous. Xinis is making the case personal and her distaste for the administration is unbecoming.
You have to hide your TDS better, judge.
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