Category Archives: DOJ policy and practice

Can the Government Seek Forfeiture of a Criminal Defense Attorney’s Fees? (Part 1)

Posted on March 27, 2020 by

By Sara Kropf The Department of Justice’s Justice Manual (formerly the U.S. Attorney’s Manual) includes a section that describes “Attorney Fee Forfeiture Guidelines.” Although technically not binding on anyone, the guidelines offer a helpful understanding of when and how DOJ … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Forfeiture, DOJ policy and practice | Leave a comment

Is DOJ Stuck With Its Positions in the “Updated” Roger Stone Sentencing Memo?

Posted on February 12, 2020 by

By Sara Kropf The Department of Justice’s “supplemental and amended” sentencing memorandum in the Roger Stone criminal case is nothing short of extraordinary. You can find a copy of the updated Stone memo here. Lots of commentators have hit the … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, DOJ Statements, Public Corruption, Sentencing | Tagged | 2 Comments

Did the Fourth Circuit Just Outlaw Taint Teams? Nope, But It Threw Up Some Roadblocks

Posted on January 22, 2020 by

By Sara Kropf Taint teams are dubious at best. A taint team is a group of government agents or prosecutors selected to review material seized through a search warrant to determine whether any of the material is protected by the … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, Search warrant, Taint teams | Leave a comment

Another Insider Trading Court Decision: Making Life Easier for the Government

Posted on January 14, 2020 by

By Dan Portnov 2019 ended with Congress trying to tackle insider trading but 2020 begins with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals once again commanding center stage in defining the elements of the offense. In United States v. Blaszczak (issued … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, SEC Investigation, Securities fraud | Leave a comment

Congress Tackles Insider Trading

Posted on December 24, 2019 by

By Dan Portnov Not busy enough with impeachment in the run up to the holidays, the U.S. House of Representatives on December 5 passed a bipartisan bill to prohibit insider trading. The Insider Trading Prohibition Act passed by a vote … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, SEC Investigation, SEC policy and practice | 1 Comment

Michael Cohen’s Sentencing Reduction Request Reveals the Minuscule Bargaining Power of a Cooperating Defendant

Posted on December 13, 2019 by

By Sara Kropf Back in September 2018, I wrote about how Michael Cohen was pleading guilty without the benefit of a cooperation agreement. I said that it was possible that the government would later file a Rule 35 motion, seeking … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, Sentencing | Tagged | 2 Comments

Why Is DOJ Trying to Unfairly Disqualify Defense Counsel for “Conflicts”?

Posted on October 30, 2019 by

By Sara Kropf There seems to be a disturbing trend by Department of Justice attorneys to encourage defense counsel to disqualify themselves based on a supposed “conflict of interest” without disclosing to defense counsel why the prosecutor thinks a conflict … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, Ethics | Leave a comment

DOJ Clarifies the Stakes for Corporate Wrongdoers

Posted on October 23, 2019 by

By Dan Portnov You know that it’s been a busy month in law enforcement news when a speech and memo announcement by DOJ Criminal Division Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Brian Benczkowski concerning corporate criminal penalties arrives with little fanfare. It … Continue reading →

Posted in DOJ policy and practice, DOJ Statements | 3 Comments

Does the Government Have to Turn Over FBI 302s in Discovery?

Posted on October 10, 2019 by

By Sara Kropf The government usually turns over interview memos, or FBI 302s, during discovery in a criminal case. As I’ve written before, a 302 is a summary of a witness interview written by an FBI agent. It is in … Continue reading →

Posted in Discovery/Brady, DOJ policy and practice | Leave a comment

Jeffrey Epstein is Dead. Now What?

Posted on August 14, 2019 by

By Dan Portnov (photo from USAToday.com) In perhaps the biggest news story of a slow August, Jeffrey Epstein apparently hung himself in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan early Saturday morning.[1] Epstein’s suicide launched multiple conspiracy … Continue reading →

Posted in civil case, Congressional investigation, Criminal Investigation, Detention issues, DOJ policy and practice, OIG investigations | Leave a comment