Brief filed: 08/10/2016
Documents
United States v. Chamberlain
4th Circuit Court of Appeals; Case No. 16-4313
Prior Decision
Decision below 2016 WL 2899255 (E.D.N.C. May 17, 2016).
Argument(s)
This court's prior decision in Billman is not a viable authority and should no longer be followed. Billman authorizes the pretrial restraint of any property – whether tainted or untainted – that might ultimately be forfeited to the government upon conviction. Every other circuit to address the issue has held that the statute does not authorize the government to restrain a defendant's untainted, substitute assets before trial. Luis rejected the argument that the government is authorized to restrain all property that might ultimately be forfeited to the government upon conviction. Luis expressly rejects the broad reading of Monsanto relied upon by this court in Billman. Luis holds that the proper inquiry is to examine the parties' respective property rights under the statute. Luis describes section 853 as permitting only the pretrial restraint of tainted assets, and the government agreed with the court's description during oral argument. En Banc proceedings are not necessary to overrule Billman in this case.
Author(s)
Abbe David Lowell and Scott W. Coyle, Chadbourne & Parke LLP, Washington, DC; Thomas K. Maher, N.C. Office of Indigent Def. Services, Durham, NC; Ilya Shapiro, Cato Institute, Washington, DC.
