Source: NY Times, June 1, “Losing Trust in Justice Dept., Judges Call Out Its Lawyers’ Behavior”
Multiple federal judges have recently accused DOJ lawyers of withholding information, misstating facts, or redacting materials to conceal misconduct, with some explicitly saying the department has become unworthy of the trust courts normally extend to government counsel. Structural relevance: erosion of judicial trust in DOJ lawyers threatens the “presumption of regularity” that helps federal courts function smoothly, increasing friction, scrutiny, and legitimacy loss across the justice system.