The U.S. Department of Justice is urging a reconsideration of a ruling that would permit Apple to obtain records from 14 federal agencies in the ongoing antitrust case. Retired federal judge Jose Linares, acting as a special discovery master, initially rejected the government's attempt to block Apple's discovery requests.

Apple contends that documents showing agencies selected its products for privacy or security features could weaken the DOJ's antitrust claims. The government argued the agencies are non-parties, and Apple's requests were irrelevant, overly broad, and risked disclosing sensitive information. Judge Linares sided with Apple, deeming the documents relevant and the government's objections insufficiently supported.

Now, the DOJ, with support from agency officials, argues Linares applied the wrong legal standard, failing to conduct a fact-specific assessment for each agency's relationship to the case. They contend agencies are not automatically subject to party discovery. The DOJ seeks to pause the appeal deadline until Linares decides on the reconsideration, potentially allowing for a challenge before the overseeing district judge.