No. 23-95

Philip Esformes v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2023-08-02
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Tags: attorney-client-privilege criminal-procedure disqualification forfeiture judicial-fact-finding prejudice prosecutorial-misconduct sixth-amendment
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity Copyright JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2023-12-08
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a criminal defendant must show actual prejudice to establish a Sixth Amendment violation warranting dismissal of the indictment or disqualification of prosecutors when prosecutors wrongfully invade the defendant's attorney-client privilege

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED While investigating petitioner for alleged health-care fraud, federal prosecutors seized hundreds of petitioner’s attorney-client privileged documents and used those documents for months. The government now concedes that its conduct was “reckless,” “sloppy, careless, clumsy, and ineffective.” C.A. Oral Arg. Recording 12:38-13:16. Notwithstanding this prosecutorial misconduct, the court of appeals affirmed petitioner’s conviction because he could not demonstrate that the government’s invasion of privilege actually prejudiced the outcome of his trial. The court of appeals also affirmed an order requiring petitioner to forfeit $38.7 million based on the district court’s own fact-finding that the amount represented “property ... involved in [the] offense” or traceable thereto. See 18 US.C. § 982(a)(1). The questions presented are: 1. Whether a criminal defendant must show actual prejudice to establish a Sixth Amendment violation warranting dismissal of the indictment or disqualification of prosecutors when prosecutors wrongfully invade the defendant’s attorney-client privilege. 2. Whether a court may order a criminal defendant to forfeit a sum of money based on a factual finding by the court, rather than a jury, that the amount of money was property tainted by the offense. See Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 490 (2000); 18 U.S.C. § 982(a)(1). (1)

Docket Entries

2023-12-11
Petition DENIED.
2023-11-21
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/8/2023.
2023-11-21
2023-11-01
Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2023-09-22
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including November 1, 2023.
2023-09-20
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 2, 2023 to November 1, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-08-28
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including October 2, 2023.
2023-08-24
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 1, 2023 to October 2, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-07-31
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 1, 2023)
2023-06-16
Application (22A970) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until July 31, 2023.
2023-06-13
Application (22A970) to extend further the time from July 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023, submitted to Justice Thomas.
2023-05-05
Application (22A970) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until July 1, 2023.
2023-05-03
Application (22A970) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from June 1, 2023 to July 31, 2023, submitted to Justice Thomas.

Attorneys

Philip Esformes
Matthew Brian NicholsonWilliams & Connolly, LLP, Petitioner
Matthew Brian NicholsonWilliams & Connolly, LLP, Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent