Far More Interesting Than Tyson vs Jake Paul … Zorn vs James J. Schwartz (DEA) – Referee John J. Mulrooney

It’s closer to the truth than you think!

Here are your players

Making sure it’s a fair fight is…

Although that’s already been brought into question. See……Green Market report: Rescheduling hearing starts under cloud of allegations

John J. Mulrooney, II

Chief Administrative Law Judge

What does he do and what’s the process?

The Administrative Law Judges at the Office of Administrative Law Judges (LJ) conduct formal hearings and adjudications in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. § 551, et seq.) in connection with enforcement and regulatory cases brought by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801, et seq.) and its attendant regulations (21 C.F.R. § 1300, et seq.). United States Administrative Law Judges are appointed for life under the Administrative Procedure Act and execute their duties with complete judicial/decisional independence from the Agency. DEA Administrative Law Judges may not perform non-adjudicative duties, are precluded from investigative responsibilities, may not receive ex parte communications, are not subject to performance evaluations, and may not receive performance awards of any kind. The Government is represented at all DEA hearings by the DEA Office of Chief Counsel (CC).

The Judges at DEA also try and adjudicate cases for other Department of Justice components, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

In DEA cases, the recommended decisions issued by the Judges are forwarded to the DEA Administrator, who issues final Agency decisions. In executing the judicial functions connected with the issuance of final Agency decisions, the Administrator is advised by a legal advisor who is organizationally independent from CC and LJ. Final Agency decisions are published in the Federal Register, and may be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia or to the United States Court of Appeals in the circuit where a registrant maintains a principal place of business (21 U.S.C. § 877). The Judges and staff at LJ maintain all official adjudicatory records and are responsible for the integrity of those records for review by the courts. LJ is also charged with the responsibility of monitoring and tracking of administrative enforcement cases filed by CC and rendering regular reports to the DEA Administrator on case load, case progress, and timeliness statistics.

https://www.dea.gov/administrative-law-judges

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-j-mulrooney-ii-4240aa126/

Representing the empire!

Chief James J. Schwartz

DEA Deputy Section Agency Counsel

In best empire fashion we are unable to locate a photo of him.

Being The Young Jedi ..(again!)

Matt Zorn

Partner at Yetter Coleman LLP

Matt focuses on complex commercial litigation, representing clients in IP, contract, and regulatory litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts.

He has significant expertise in federal jurisdiction and procedure. Matt is at home digging out case-changing evidence, crafting legal strategies under arcane statutes and procedures, eliciting critical deposition or trial testimony, and arguing on his feet to trial courts, appellate courts, and arbitrators.

Matt is also recognized as an authority on issues relating to the federal Controlled Substance Act and cannabis and psychedelics regulation. Matt is nationally ranked as Band One in Psychedelics Law by Chambers USA and was a previous member of the Law360 Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board. Matt routinely speaks and publishes on legal issues related to controlled substances.

Matt has received national recognition for his work in IP litigation, commercial litigation, and controlled substances litigation. The American Lawyer previously named Matt a finalist for Young Lawyer of the Year (Litigation), and the American Inns of Court named him a 2020 Pegasus Scholar. Best Lawyers in America recognized Matt in Commercial Litigation, and Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers recognizes him as a “Texas Rising Star” in Intellectual Property Litigation, Cannabis Law, and Administrative Law.

Before joining the firm, Matt was a judicial clerk to the Hon. Rodney Gilstrap, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, spending hundreds of hours in court helping manage one of the busiest trial dockets in the country. He was also a litigator with Paul Weiss in New York City.