No. 18-274

Michael Jay Stewart v. United States

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2018-09-04
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) Experienced Counsel
Tags: criminal-fraud jury-instructions kokesh-v-sec mail-fraud materiality materiality-standard naive-and-careless omissions-theory reasonably-prudent-victim sentencing-guidelines statute-of-limitations
Latest Conference: 2019-01-04 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. There is widespread conflict regarding the meaning of the federal criminal fraud statutes. While the confusion existed long before Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1 (1999), it has persisted as courts have struggled to interpret footnote five of that opinion, which cited the definition of materiality set forth in the Restatement (Second) of Torts. Some lower courts declare that the materiality standard is objective and mail fraud is determined by a reasonably prudent victim, while others insist that the criminal fraud statutes were designed to protect the naive and careless. The first question presented is:

Whether, when the government relies on an omissions theory of criminal mail fraud, a jury may also be instructed that "it is immaterial" that "only the most gullible or negligent would have been deceived by the defendant's scheme" because the "mail fraud statute is designed to protect the naive and careless as well as the experienced and careful."

2. In Kokesh v. S.E.C., 137 S. Ct. 1635 (2017), this Court recently held that disgorgement is a "penalty" that cannot be imposed for fraud losses beyond the statute of limitations. The second question presented is:

Whether conduct outside the statute of limitations can increase a fraud defendant's loss calculation under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the federal criminal fraud statutes maintain a reasonably prudent victim requirement

Docket Entries

2019-01-07
Petition DENIED.
2018-12-14
Reply of petitioner Michael Jay Stewart filed. (Distributed)
2018-12-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/4/2019.
2018-11-28
Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2018-11-23
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including November 28, 2018.
2018-11-21
Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 26, 2018 to November 28, 2018, submitted to The Clerk.
2018-10-17
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 26, 2018.
2018-10-16
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 26, 2018 to November 26, 2018, submitted to The Clerk.
2018-09-26
Response Requested. (Due October 26, 2018)
2018-09-19
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/5/2018.
2018-09-10
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2018-08-29
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 4, 2018)

Attorneys

Michael Jay Stewart
Benjamin Lee ColemanColeman & Balogh LLP, Petitioner
United States
Noel J. FranciscoSolicitor General, Respondent