Overview

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has requested a federal judge to delay the September trial against Amazon over alleged deceptive Prime subscription practices by two months.
• FTC attorney Jonathan Cohen cited significant staffing and budget constraints, exacerbated by federal workforce reductions and a hiring freeze under the Trump administration.
• The agency is facing challenges such as employee resignations, limited access to court documents, and an impending office relocation, all of which could hinder trial preparations.
• Judge John Chun questioned how the FTC’s situation might improve in two months, with Cohen acknowledging uncertainty but expressing hope that the worst of the disruptions may have passed.
• Amazon's legal team opposed the delay, arguing that the FTC has not sufficiently demonstrated an inability to proceed with the current trial schedule.