No. 25-130

Francis McLain v. United States

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-08-04
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: criminal-conviction indictment-elements jurisdictional-defect jury-instructions rule-60b4 trust-fund-penalty
Key Terms:
DueProcess FifthAmendment JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-09-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a district court can deny a Rule 60(b)(4) motion to vacate a criminal conviction based on jurisdictional defects or incomplete indictment/jury instructions

Question Presented (from Petition)

I. Can a district court properly deny a motion under Rule 60(b)(4), F.R.Civ.P., to vacate a criminal conviction where the motion shows the conviction is void for failure of the indictment to allege all the component essential elements of the offense, and/or void for the failure to instruct the jury on all the component essential elements of the crime charged? II. Can a district court’s finding of “arguable-basis” jurisdiction overcome a Rule 60(b)(4) Motion showing that a criminal judgment under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 is void for lack of in personam or subject-matter jurisdiction? III. Can the United States pursue a civil action to recover “trust fund recovery penalties” under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 that arose from a criminal conviction where the sentencing court found no actual tax loss and awarded no restitution under 26 U.S.C. § 7202? IV. Does the Constitutional bar against double jeopardy preclude the United States from pursuing a trust fund recovery penalty under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 if the same actions were already punished under 26 U.S.C. § 7202 and there is no showing that the civil penalty is remedial? V. Does the five-year statute of limitations under 28 U.S.C. § 2462 bar the United States from pursuing a trust fund recovery penalty under 26 U.S.C. § 6672 if the alleged trust fund violations accrued over nine years earlier?

Docket Entries

2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-08-27
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-08-21
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2025-08-21
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-07-30
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 3, 2025)

Attorneys

Francis McLain
Alexander L. RootsPlanalp & Roots, P.C., Petitioner
Alexander L. RootsPlanalp & Roots, P.C., Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent