Core Viewpoint - A federal judge has established guidelines for a group of states to legally challenge the Justice Department's approval of Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, amid allegations of political bias in the deal [1]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - A Colorado-led coalition of state attorneys general is set to investigate the circumstances surrounding the DOJ's settlement that allowed the merger to proceed [1]. - US District Judge Casey Pitts ruled that the states can seek additional information regarding the controversial settlement, which resulted in the dismissal of two DOJ officials who opposed HPE's acquisition tactics [2]. - The judge's order allows the states to access some pretrial information shared after the DOJ's antitrust lawsuit against HPE in January [3]. Group 2: Implications for Competition - Judge Pitts emphasized that the information will help the states assess the competitive risks posed by the merger and the adequacy of the proposed judgment in addressing those risks [4]. - The states are requesting a mini-trial to investigate what they claim is a corrupt process leading to the settlement, while the DOJ and HPE argue that the focus should be on the settlement's merits and public interest [6]. Group 3: Settlement Details - The DOJ's settlement, reached shortly before trial, permits the merger to close with only a minor divestiture of HPE's Instant On business and a commitment to license certain Juniper technology [7].