The new DOJ Wire Act deadline date of December 20th is closing in. That’s when the Justice Department needs to have their appellant’s brief filed with the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Originally, the DOJ needed to have the documents in by November 12th, but they were granted an extension.

The appeals process stems from the New Hampshire Lottery Commission’s lawsuit against the federal government over a DOJ reinterpretation of the Interstate Wire Act of 1961. Late last year, the Office of Legal Counsel ruled that the Wire Act applied to all forms of gambling that use wire communication to transmit data across state lines.

Because of the extension, oral arguments in the case likely won’t start until sometime well into 2020. Oral arguments are typically heard in the first week of each month, so based on the calendar, it’s unlikely that they’ll be heard before March. If the DOJ pursues this online gambling case to its fullest, there is a reasonable chance this issue could eventually land in the Supreme Court.

For more on the DOJ Wire Act deadline, visit Cards Chat.