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Kaley v. United States

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
12-464 11th Cir. Oct 16, 2013 Feb 25, 2014 6-3 Kagan OT 2013

Holding: When challenging the legality of a pre-trial asset seizure under 21 U.S.C. § 853(e)(1), a criminal defendant who has been indicted is not constitutionally entitled to contest a grand jury"s determination of probable cause to believe that he committed the crimes charged.

Judgment: Affirmed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on February 25, 2014. Chief Justice Roberts filed a dissenting opinion in which Justice Breyer and Justice Sotomayor joined.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
10/11/2012Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 14, 2012)
11/06/2012Order extending time to file response to petition to and including December 14, 2012.
11/14/2012Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
12/05/2012Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including January 14, 2013.
01/07/2013Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including February 13, 2013.
02/13/2013Brief of respondent United States filed.
02/27/2013DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 15, 2013.
03/18/2013Petition GRANTED.
04/03/2013The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including June 21, 2013.
06/13/2013The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is further extended to and including July 1, 2013.
06/13/2013Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioners.
07/01/2013Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed.
07/01/2013Brief of petitioners Kerri L. Kaley, et vir filed.
07/01/2013Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
07/03/2013Brief amicus curiae of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice filed.
07/05/2013Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
07/08/2013Brief amicus curiae of American Bar Association filed.
07/08/2013Brief amici curiae of Gun Owners Foundation, et al. filed.
07/08/2013Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Justice filed.
07/08/2013Brief amicus curiae of Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
07/08/2013Brief amicus curiae of New York Council of Defense Lawyers filed.
07/10/2013The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 30, 2013.
07/22/2013CIRCULATED.
07/23/2013SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, October 16, 2013.
08/16/2013Record Received from U.S.C.A. for 11th Circuit (1 envelope)
08/22/2013Record received from the U.S.D.C. of Florida (1 Box)
08/30/2013Brief of respondent United States filed. (Distributed)
09/30/2013Reply of petitioner Kerri L. Kaley, et vir filed. (Distributed)
10/16/2013Argued. For petitioner: Howard Srebnick, Miami, Fla. For respondent: Michael R. Dreeben, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
02/25/2014Judgment is affirmed and case remanded. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, and Alito, JJ., joined. Roberts, C. J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Breyer and Sotomayor, JJ., joined.
03/31/2014JUDGMENT ISSUED.
03/31/2014Record Received from U.S.C.A. for 11th Circuit has been returned.
03/31/2014Record received from United States District Court Southern District of Florida has been returned.

Issue: Whether, when a post-indictment, ex parte restraining order freezes assets needed by a criminal defendant to retain counsel of choice, the Fifth and Sixth Amendments require a pre-trial, adversarial hearing at which the defendant may challenge the evidentiary support and legal theory of the underlying charges.