Case: Richie Enterprises LLC v. Bondi

1:26-cv-01085 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: March 31, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

Richie Enterprises LLC, an independent wholesale drug distributor operating as Richie Pharmacal, filed this lawsuit against federal defendants including the Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on March 31, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit challenged a January 30, 2026 Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) that suspended Richie's controlled substance distribution certificate and authorized seizure of its inventory after the company …

Richie Enterprises LLC, an independent wholesale drug distributor operating as Richie Pharmacal, filed this lawsuit against federal defendants including the Attorney General and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on March 31, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit challenged a January 30, 2026 Immediate Suspension Order (ISO) that suspended Richie's controlled substance distribution certificate and authorized seizure of its inventory after the company allegedly fell victim to a phishing scheme resulting in theft of 60,000 oxycodone pills and failed to follow proper procedures in notifying the DEA and conducting due diligence on customers. Richie, which had been a DEA-registered distributor for over fifty years, requested an expedited hearing on February 25, 2026, but the DEA failed to assign an administrative law judge or set a hearing date. The complaint asserted claims under the Administrative Procedure Act for arbitrary and capricious agency action and violations of due process rights under the Fifth Amendment. Richie sought dissolution of the ISO, return of its registration and inventory, and attorney's fees. The case was assigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb.

The same day their complaint was filed, Plaintiffs filed a motion for Preliminary Injunction and a Temporary Restraining Order. On April 1, the Court ordered the parties to confer and submit a joint status report by 10:00 AM on April 3, 2026 regarding motion briefing.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Ben Hefter (4/7/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73117487/parties/richie-enterprises-llc-v-bondi/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Ellison, James Philip (District of Columbia)

Hull, Andrew J. (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Derbisz, Tara (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:26-cv-01085

Complaint

Richie Enterprises v. Bondi

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73117487/richie-enterprises-llc-v-bondi/

Last updated April 14, 2026, 3:07 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12330033) filed by RICHIE ENTERPRISES LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons Bondi, # 3 Summons Department of Justice, # 4 Summons Cole, # 5 Summons Drug Enforcement Administration, # 6 Summons U.S. Attorney - DC)(Hull, Andrew) (Attachment 1 replaced on 3/31/2026) (zmtm). (Entered: 03/31/2026)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

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2 Summons Bondi

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3 Summons Department of Justice

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4 Summons Cole

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5 Summons Drug Enforcement Administration

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6 Summons U.S. Attorney - DC

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March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

Clearinghouse
2

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by RICHIE ENTERPRISES LLC (Hull, Andrew) (Entered: 03/31/2026)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

3

NOTICE of Appearance by Andrew J. Hull on behalf of RICHIE ENTERPRISES, LLC (Hull, Andrew) (Entered: 03/31/2026)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

4

SUMMONS (5) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(zmtm) (Entered: 03/31/2026)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

5

MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order by RICHIE ENTERPRISES, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Exhibit A (Boyter Declaration), # 3 Exhibit B (DEA ISO), # 4 Exhibit C (Richie Request for Hearing), # 5 Exhibit D (OALJ Letter), # 6 Exhibit E (OALJ Prehearing Order), # 7 Text of Proposed Order Proposed Order, # 8 Hull Certification)(Hull, Andrew) (Entered: 03/31/2026)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

6

NOTICE of Appearance by Tara Derbisz on behalf of All Defendants (Derbisz, Tara) (Entered: 03/31/2026)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

Case Assigned/Reassigned

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

Case Assigned to Judge Jia M. Cobb. (zmtm)

March 31, 2026

March 31, 2026

7

MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Request for Expeditious Hearing by RICHIE ENTERPRISES, LLC. (Attachments: # 1 Memorandum in Support, # 2 Exhibit A (Boyter Declaration), # 3 Exhibit B (DEA ISO), # 4 Exhibit C (Richie Request for Hearing), # 5 Exhibit D (OALJ Letter), # 6 Exhibit E (OALJ Prehearing Order), # 7 Text of Proposed Order)(Hull, Andrew) (Entered: 04/01/2026)

1 Memorandum in Support

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2 Exhibit A (Boyter Declaration)

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3 Exhibit B (DEA ISO)

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4 Exhibit C (Richie Request for Hearing)

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5 Exhibit D (OALJ Letter)

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6 Exhibit E (OALJ Prehearing Order)

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7 Text of Proposed Order

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April 1, 2026

April 1, 2026

Status Report Order

April 1, 2026

April 1, 2026

MINUTE ORDER: The Court acknowledges receipt of Plaintiff's requests for a 5 temporary restraining order and 7 preliminary injunction. The Court ORDERS the parties to confer and submit a joint status report by 10:00 AM on April 3, 2026, containing a proposed schedule for briefing these motions, which shall include proposed dates for a hearing on the preliminary injunction request pursuant to Local Civil Rule 65.1(d). Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on April 1, 2026. (lcjmc1)

April 1, 2026

April 1, 2026

8

NOTICE of Appearance by James Philip Ellison on behalf of RICHIE ENTERPRISES, LLC (Ellison, James) (Entered: 04/02/2026)

April 2, 2026

April 2, 2026

9

Joint STATUS REPORT Regarding Briefing and Hearing Schedule by RICHIE ENTERPRISES, LLC. (Hull, Andrew) (Entered: 04/02/2026)

April 2, 2026

April 2, 2026

10

SCHEDULING ORDER: See document for details. The Parties are ORDERED to appear for a hearing on Plaintiff's 5 motion for a temporary restraining order and 7 motion for a preliminary injunction at 9:30 AM on April 14, 2026 in Courtroom 3. Signed by Judge Jia M. Cobb on April 3, 2026. (lcjmc2) (Entered: 04/03/2026)

April 3, 2026

April 3, 2026

12

MOTION to Dismiss by PAMELA J. BONDI, TERRANCE C. COLE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UNITED STATES DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION. (See Docket Entry 11 to view document). (znmw) (Entered: 04/09/2026)

April 9, 2026

April 9, 2026

15

Reply to opposition to motion

April 13, 2026

April 13, 2026

Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Public Accommodations/ Contracting/ Organizational Discrimination

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 31, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

An independent wholesale drug distributor headquartered in Kentucky.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Procedural Due Process

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01085

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Attorneys fees

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Stay of government action

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

General/Misc.:

Other

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