Why Tomorrow (March 26) Will Be Pivotal For Ripple And XRP

In the XRP lawsuit, the next crucial phase is set to commence for Ripple Labs against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tomorrow. Defense lawyer James K. Filan has recently casted the spotlight on March 26.

The SEC has already submitted its opening remedies-related brief along with supporting documentation, albeit under seal, to the court. This step is a significant progression in the protracted legal dispute that has spanned several years. Filan’s statement via X emphasizes the forthcoming public disclosure of these documents, slated for no later than March 26, 2024.

“The SEC has filed, under seal, its opening remedies-related brief and supporting documents. These documents are not public yet. Public, redacted versions will be filed no later than Tuesday, March 26, 2024,” Filan communicated, highlighting the importance of this date in the context of the Ripple vs. SEC case.

Ripple Vs. SEC: What To Expect

It’s crucial to understand the nature and significance of an “opening remedies-related brief.” This document represents a foundational element in the litigation process. Essentially, the opening remedies-related brief is the initial submission by a party—in this instance, the SEC—outlining the specific legal and financial remedies it seeks from the court against the opposing party, Ripple Labs.

The amount of remedies that the SEC is demanding is eagerly awaited. In particular, it will be interesting to see how much the SEC demands for the institutional XRP sales after the start of the legal dispute.

As Bitcoinist reported, US District Judge Analisa Torres has ordered Ripple to provide its financial statements from 2022-2023 and contracts about “Institutional Sales” of XRP in February, which the SEC argues are essential for determining an appropriate remedy.

Despite Ripple’s assertion that details regarding its financial health are both irrelevant to the case and highly confidential, the court has found such information potentially significant to the remedy stage of the proceedings. In its motion, the SEC contended that access to the company’s financial data is crucial for establishing the scale and nature of penalties and remedies that should be applied.

Just a few days ago, Ripple Labs and the SEC presented a detailed schedule for the remedies phase to the Southern District Court of New York. This agenda outlines the procedures for sealing and redacting court documents pertinent to the remedies phase of the lawsuit—a critical aspect of the proceedings that will determine the legal and financial repercussions for Ripple Labs

• March 22, 2024: The SEC filed its remedies brief under seal.
• March 25, 2024: A meeting between the SEC and Ripple to discuss and finalize the necessary redactions is happening today.
• March 26, 2024: The SEC’s deadline to file a public, redacted version of its opening brief.
• April 22, 2024: Ripple’s deadline to file its opposition brief.
• April 23-24, 2024: A planned meeting to finalize redactions for Ripple’s documents. If necessary Ripple will file a public, redacted version of its opposition brief.
• May 8, 2024: The SEC’s deadline for the public submission of its reply brief.

The provided timeline offers clarity on the immediate procedural steps. Despite this clarity, there remains a level of uncertainty regarding the ultimate resolution of the case. Speculation about potential delays persists, particularly concerning whether the SEC may request an extension.

At press time, XRP traded at $0.63218.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com