Justice Department Seeks Dismissal of Jan. 6 Class Action Lawsuit

The U.S. Department of Justice has moved to dismiss a class action lawsuit filed by Jan. 6 defendants under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), arguing that the claims were filed after the statute of limitations had expired, Jacob Rosen reported for CBS News.

The plaintiffs alleged they suffered injuries on Jan. 6, 2021, as a result of excessive police force. [Photo: Tyler Merbler Flickr]

"All the claims in the complaint are 'forever barred' due to the failure to timely file the administrative claim with the agency," the Justice Department said in its filing.

The plaintiffs alleged they suffered injuries on Jan. 6, 2021, as a result of excessive police force.

The Justice Department argued that many of the administrative claims were incomplete, lacked signatures or supporting documentation, and were filed beyond the FTCA's two-year deadline.

According to the filing, the plaintiffs had until Jan. 6, 2023, to submit claims. The earliest filing by the named plaintiffs was dated July 29, 2025, well beyond the statutory deadline.

The department argued that the plaintiffs "knew that they were injured and knew who injured them, but they instead chose to wait until well past the deadline to file the claims."