I have been waiting for a considerable amount of time for the letter for early adjustment from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and have followed up multiple times, but there has been no response. Can you provide insight into the reason for this delay and when I can expect to receive the letter?
The DOJ early adjustment letter is not issued automatically. The DOJ confirms with all law enforcement agencies where the case was reported to verify that there is currently no active investigation.
The approximate processing time for DOJ letters is 120 days. If you receive an automated response from DOJ’s email, rest assured your request for the letter is in queue and will be processed in the order it is received. Practitioners should avoid following up with DOJ until after the 120 days have lapsed. If you do not receive an automated response, review the “Tech Tip” in our guide for troubleshooting.
Several factors could contribute to a prolonged processing time. This includes:
- Incomplete Information: Processing can be delayed if all necessary details listed in the guide were not provided with the initial request.
- Multiple Reporting Agencies: Cases reported to multiple law enforcement agencies require DOJ to follow up with each agency, prolonging the processing time.
- Lack of Law Enforcement Response: Delay occurs if law enforcement agencies do not promptly confirm the completion of the investigation in response to DOJ’s requests.
If you have not received a response from DOJ after 120 days, practitioners may follow up via email. If you have not received a response after sending the follow-up email, please reach out to CAST for technical assistance so that we may liaise with DOJ on your behalf. CAST will not follow up with DOJ prior to the 120 days.
Additionally, we encourage you to join our Legal Working Group call for the latest trends regarding DOJ early adjustment letters.