Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Getty Images
The Department of Justice’s massive antitrust case against Apple will unfold before a new judge. A court filing on Wednesday reveals that Judge Michael E. Farbiarz has determined his “recusal is necessary” under the code of conduct for US Judges.
The filing says Farbiarz’s “disqualification is mandatory and cannot be remitted by the parties.” Judge Julien Xavier Neals, whom President Joe Biden nominated to the US District in 2021, will preside over the case instead.
It’s not clear why Judge Farbiarz was disqualified from the case, but there are a couple of possibilities. The specific rule mentioned by the filing — Canon 3(C)(1)(d) — says a judge must disqualify themselves from a proceeding when the “judge’s impartiality might reasonably…