Skilling v. United States explained

Litigants:Skilling v. United States
Arguedate:March 1
Argueyear:2010
Decidedate:June 24
Decideyear:2010
Fullname:Jeffrey K. Skilling v. United States
Usvol:561
Uspage:358
Parallelcitations:130 S. Ct. 2896; 177 L. Ed. 2d 619
Docket:08-1394
Prior:Convictions affirmed, 554 F.3d 529 (5th Cir. 2009), cert. granted, .
Subsequent:Prison term of Jeffrey Skilling reduced from 24 years and 4 months to 14 years (minus time served)
Holding:Pretrial publicity and community prejudice did not prevent Skilling from obtaining a fair trial. However, the honest services fraud statute, 18 U.S.C. §1346, is properly confined to cover only bribery and kickback schemes, which do not include Skilling's alleged misconduct. So construed, §1346 is not unconstitutionally vague. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed in part, vacated in part, and remanded.
Majority:Ginsburg
Joinmajority:Roberts, Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito (Part I); Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas (Part II); Roberts, Stevens, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor (Part III)
Concurrence:Scalia (in part)
Joinconcurrence:Thomas; Kennedy (except Part III)
Concurrence2:Alito (in part)
Concurrence/Dissent:Sotomayor
Joinconcurrence/Dissent:Stevens, Breyer
Lawsapplied:U.S. Const. amend. V

Skilling v. United States, 561 U.S. 358 (2010), is a United States Supreme Court case interpreting the honest services fraud statute, . The case involves former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling and the honest services fraud statute, which prohibits "a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services". The Court found the statute vague, meaning it was written in a manner that almost anyone could be convicted of the statute by engaging in most legal activities. However, the Court refused to void the statute as unconstitutionally vague. The Court decided to limit the application of the statute only to defendants who hold a fiduciary duty and they participate in bribery and kickback schemes. The Court supported its decision not to rule the statute void for vagueness on its obligation to construe and not condemn Congress' laws. Ultimately, Skilling's sentence was reduced by 10 years as a result.

Companion cases

In light of the court's findings, a similar case, Weyhrauch v. United States, involving former Alaska representative Bruce Weyhrauch,[1] was returned to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, where federal charges were eventually dropped.[2] [3]

The Supreme Court heard the Skilling case along with the similar Black v. United States (2010). The later case of Ciminelli v. United States (2023) further narrowed the application of the statute, quoting Skilling.

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justices Limit Use of 'Honest Services' Law Against Fraud . . June 24, 2010 . Adam . Liptak . March 28, 2017.
  2. Web site: Former Juneau lawmaker fined $18K for allegedly helping oil companies while seeking oil jobs . KTOO . February 17, 2016 . Matt . Miller . March 28, 2017.
  3. Web site: Corruption case against former Alaska legislator crumbled . . October 22, 2011 . Kim . Murphy . March 28, 2017.