No. 24-522

Eghbal Saffarinia, aka Eddie Saffarinia v. United States

Lower Court: District of Columbia
Docketed: 2024-11-07
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (4)Response Waived Experienced Counsel
Tags: administrative-procedure agency-review criminal-law false-statement obstruction statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw Arbitration JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2024-12-06
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a false statement or omission allegedly intended to obstruct routine procedures, such as ordinary-course agency review of annual disclosure forms, constitutes intent to obstruct 'proper administration of any matter' within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 1519

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED Congress made it unlawful to knowingly make certain false statements or omissions with intent “to obstruct” bankruptcy cases, federal investigations, or—most important here—“proper administration” of federal “matter[s].” 18 U.S.C. $1519. The penalty can be as high as 20 years’ incarceration. Ibid. In Marinello v. United States, 584 U.S. 1 (2018), this Court addressed the meaning of the similar phrase, “obstruct * * * due administration,” in an obstruction statute relating to the Internal Revenue Code. It held that “due administration” does not include “routine administrative procedures” like review of annual tax returns. Jd. at 4. In the decision below, the court of appeals held that the phrase “proper administration” of “matter[s]” in §1519 does reach “routine” processes like ordinary-course review of annually submitted forms. The question presented is: Whether a false statement or omission allegedly intended to obstruct routine procedures, such as ordinarycourse agency review of annual disclosure forms, constitutes intent to obstruct “proper administration of any matter” within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 1519. (i)

Docket Entries

2024-12-09
Petition DENIED.
2024-12-04
2024-12-03
2024-11-27
Brief amici curiae of Former Federal Prosecutors filed. (Distributed)
2024-11-19
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/6/2024.
2024-11-19
2024-11-13
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2024-11-13
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2024-11-04
2024-10-17
Application (24A357) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until November 4, 2024.
2024-10-11
Application (24A357) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 21, 2024 to November 4, 2024, submitted to The Chief Justice.

Attorneys

Cato Institute
Clark M. Neily IIICato Institute, Amicus
Clark M. Neily IIICato Institute, Amicus
Criminal Law Scholars
Jacob Moshe RothJones Day, Amicus
Jacob Moshe RothJones Day, Amicus
Eghbal Saffarinia
Jeffrey Alan LamkenMoloLamken LLP, Petitioner
Jeffrey Alan LamkenMoloLamken LLP, Petitioner
Former Federal Prosecutors
Andrew Carl GoetzMiller Johnson, Amicus
Andrew Carl GoetzMiller Johnson, Amicus
John T. Stinneford
William Benjamin ReeseFlannery Georgalis LLC, Amicus
William Benjamin ReeseFlannery Georgalis LLC, Amicus
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent