The judge’s decision was based on the Duke of Sussex’s application for a visa to live and work in the United States. The application was submitted in 2023. The judge’s decision was made after reviewing the Duke of Sussex’s US immigration documents for four months.

The Center for American Progress (CAP) is a non-profit organization that advocates for progressive policies. They argued that the files should be released to the public because they are relevant to the public interest. The lawsuit was filed in the 2016 election cycle, during a period of heightened political tension surrounding immigration. The lawsuit was ultimately successful, with the court ruling in favor of the Center for American Progress.

A. The Silent Power of Ex Parte Orders
B.

Ex parte orders are a type of court order that is issued without notice to all parties involved in the case. This means that the opposing parties, the plaintiff, and the defendant are not informed about the order before it is issued. This practice is often criticized for its potential to be unfair and to undermine the principles of due process.

Samuel Dewey, a lawyer with Heritage who brought the case, said that there was no indication of who won the case. ‘In these types of cases where there are unusual facts like this one, this is not an unusual thing to have a sealed order,’ he said. ‘There could be very good reasons for it to be sealed, regardless of who won. ‘This is not weird or suggestive of anything untoward’. The order could have been sealed to stop the public finding out about Harry’s visa status before DHS has a chance to appeal, thus negating the point of an appeal, Mr Dewey said.

He said: ‘This is another step in the proceedings in an unusual case. ‘The only thing this tells us is that we’ll know what the decision is soon, probably in a week or two. It could go either way’.