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In Supreme Court Hearing, Justices Weigh Use of Asset Freeze Powers
By Colby Adams
printAttorneys for a Florida couple accused of selling black-market medical devices argued before the Supreme Court Wednesday that the government's power to freeze the assets of defendants should be further limited. In oral arguments, Howard Srebnick, who represents Kerri and Brian Kaley, said that defendants should be able to at least partially reverse asset freezes ordered following grand jury indictments. In such challenges, already allowed in five of the eleven U.S. circuit court jurisdictions, defendants would ask judges to rule whether the alleged conduct tied to the money is criminal. The proposed pretrial ruling on asset forfeitures should apply only...
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