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News & Articles
Criminal defense attorney, Lorraine Gauli-Rufo shares news and articles pertaining to criminal and federal law.
The United States Sentencing Guideline Amendments
It is that time again… the United States Sentencing Guideline Amendments take effect in less than a month. They go into effect on November 1, 2024. Key amendments include: Acquitted Conduct: Relevant conduct (§ 1B1.1) now excludes conduct for which a defendant...
How a Federal Criminal Case Starts
When faced with a federal criminal case, understanding how proceedings begin can significantly impact your defense strategy. Federal criminal cases can commence primarily in three ways - indictment, complaint, or information. Each method has its unique procedures and...
A Sea Change in Securities Fraud: The Implications of SEC v. Jarkesy
A Sea Change in Securities Fraud: The Implications of SEC v. Jarkesy On June 27, 2024, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has fundamentally altered securities fraud enforcement with its ruling in SEC v. Jarkesy. The Supreme Court has ruled that defendants...
Supreme Court of the United States Update: Snyder v. United States
On June 26, 2024, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Snyder v. United States, holding that a federal anti-corruption statute, 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B), does not criminalize gratuities given to public officials as a token of appreciation for taking an official...
Why You Should Hire A Federal Criminal Defense Attorney if You are charged or threatened with a Federal Fraud Crime.
Many of our clients are first time offenders, and when they initially contact us they are scared to death, confused and they do not even know whether their crime is federal or state. The first thing we usually do is ask to see the charging documents so we can...
Exploring Federal Cyber Crimes: Internet and Computer Fraud
What Federal Crimes Deal with Internet or Computer Fraud? Many of our clients are charged with or threatened by federal internet and/or computer fraud-related crimes. Numerous federal crimes are associated with the use of the internet and computers. These offenses are...
Expanding Insider Trading Liability: The Implications of SEC v. Panawat
A recent decision in the Northern District of California expands insider trading liability involving public company securities that are not the direct subject of the material nonpublic information ("MNPI"). In SEC v. Panawat, 4:21-cv-06322 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 17, 2021),...
Supreme Court Tightens Safety Valve Relief in Pulsifer v. United States
On March 15, 2024, the Supreme Court published its long-awaited opinion in Pulsifer v. United States. Mark Pulsifer pled guilty to distributing at least fifty grams of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). Due to his previous felony drug conviction,...
Supreme Court to Decide on Warrantless Backpack Searches in Bembury Case
The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether to grant certiorari in Commonwealth v. Bembury, 677 S.W.3d 385 (Ky. 2023), a case from the Kentucky Supreme Court that grapples with the scope of the search incident to arrest exception to the Fourth Amendment's general...