According to Foresight News, court documents show that U.S. District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said that SBF cannot blame FTX's lawyers for its closure or operation in its opening statement, although he can still try the so-called "lawyer's advice" defense later. Previously, the SBF defense team said that FTX lawyers "participated" in some of the company's decisions, but Judge Kaplan said that this statement without specific details could confuse or bias the jury.

Foresight News previously reported on September 22 that SBF had spent the past few months accusing law firm Sullivan & Cromwell of betraying its obligation to act in the best interests of its clients, according to Fortune magazine.