A federal judge refused the Education Department’s request for an 18‑month extension to resolve the final tranche of borrower‑defense claims tied to a landmark 2022 settlement, ordering the agency to decide many cases by end‑January and extending others only to April 15. The decision affects the last group of claimants who applied after the settlement but before final court approval. The ruling enforces timelines from the Sweet v. McMahon settlement that were designed to trigger automatic relief if bureaucratic delays persisted; plaintiffs’ lawyers said the court declined to give the department more latitude for cases tied to 151 institutions flagged for “substantial misconduct.” For sector leaders and financial officers, the ruling narrows uncertainty about potential automatic debt cancellations and institutional liabilities while pressuring the Education Department to accelerate adjudications and communications with borrowers and institutions.