During a hearing on a Freedom of Information Act case, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said the actions had complicated the State Department’s ability to respond to requests for the agency’s records on various topics.

“We wouldn’t be here today if this employee had followed government policy,” Sullivan said, apparently referring to Clinton.

After Justice Department lawyer Peter Wechsler argued that FOIA normally doesn’t allow for searches of government officials’ private accounts, the judge said he viewed it as an unusual situation because “there was a violation of government policy.”

“We’re not talking about a search of anyone’s random email,” Sullivan added.