- Ripple, after successful legal disputes, shows resistance to the SEC’s demands, relying on favorable court decisions.
- A settlement for $20 million or less would be a significant legal victory for Ripple, consolidating its position.
In the intriguing legal showdown between Ripple and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), leading pro-XRP legal expert Fred Rispoli shares his insightful thoughts on the unusual mutism that has recently characterized the case.
Through meticulous analysis, Rispoli explores the possible reasons behind this sudden silence and projects the various outcomes as the next milestone in this protracted legal showdown approaches.
calm Before the Storm? Advances in the Legal Proceedings without a Fuss
Analyzing the unusual lull in the legal dispute, Rispoli notes that the damages discovery phase is set for February 12. As this date approaches, the legal expert expresses surprise at the absence of discovery requests from the SEC, given the previous hostility in the process.
However, Rispoli anticipates that the Commission will act, filing a request at least a week before the deadline. The lack of such action would suggest, he believes, that both the SEC and Ripple are taking a more collaborative and less confrontational tactic.
In the meantime, the analyst presents two possible scenarios as of this point. In one, the SEC will obtain and review relevant discovery documents before reaching a settlement with the cryptocurrency company. If this fails to materialize, Rispoli anticipates that the legal dispute will spill over into the damages briefing, which will end on April 29.
In his assessment, Rispoli suggests that the Commission would be best served by resolving the dispute with Ripple. Otherwise, he argues that they would lose most of their claims if the case reaches the damages briefing stage, based on the Commission’s history of defeats in court. He therefore suggests that the most sensible option would be to settle.
Compromises Necessary for the SEC
Should the SEC choose to settle with Ripple, it will have to settle for a smaller sum than it had previously requested. John Deaton, another prominent pro-XRP legal expert, previously revealed that the Commission was demanding more than $700 million from the cryptocurrency firm for its alleged violation of securities laws.
Considering Ripple’s successful track record, which has emerged victorious in three prominent legal disputes against the SEC, the cryptocurrency is reluctant to give in to the Commission’s demands. Drawing on the precedent set by the LBRY case, Ripple is confident that the court will impose a lower damages award compared to theSEC’s claims. Therefore, it is more prudent for both parties to compromise and seek common ground.
John Deaton argued that reaching a settlement of $20 million or less would be a “99.9% legal victory” for Ripple. This scenario would represent a significant shift in favor of the cryptocurrency, further strengthening its position in this ongoing legal standoff.
