This is masterful, creative lawyering, but at its core it is something I can’t approve,” federal Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said in his Texas courtroom

A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Wednesday blocked a settlement between families who have sued Alex Jones over his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, saying their attempt to divide the bankrupt conspiracy theorist's assets exceeded his court’s authority.

The ruling by a U.S. bankruptcy judge in Houston further complicates how and when Jones' bankruptcy case will be resolved and when the families he defamed will be paid.