In United States v. Rains, --- Fed. App'x ---, Case No. 15-50334 (9th Cir. 2017), the Court of Appeals vacated, on sufficiency grounds, our client's convictions for bringing undocumented people to the United States in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and for conspiracy to do so. The Court also vacated the district court's order forfeiting our client's ranch.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with our arguments that the government failed to prove our client was guilty of the charged crimes.
As to the forfeiture, the Court of Appeals concluded the lower court failed to undertake the correct legal analysis. Therefore, the forfeiture order was overturned.
Devin Burstein drafted the briefs and argued the case, along with forfeiture expert Rick Barnett.