Hells Angels Infiltrator Gets New Shot at Legal Fees From ATF

A former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agent can seek attorneys’ fees from the government after defeating ATF’s claim that his book about infiltrating the Hells Angels violated ATF rules, a federal court said Friday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a US Court of Federal Claims ruling that denied Jay Dobyns’ motion for attorneys’ fees as untimely. The time for Dobyns’ motion should have been extended because Dobyns had reasonably relied on the government’s advice telling him he had more time to file the motion, the Federal Circuit said.

The lower court’s ruling “overlooks ...