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U.S. v. CUETO Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: An attorney with a financial stake in his client’s illegal gambling business was convicted of obstruction of justice for using litigation tactics to thwart a federal investigation. The court affirmed, finding his corrupt intent transformed otherwise lawful acts into federal crimes.
Legal Significance: This case establishes that an attorney’s litigation-related conduct, if motivated by a corrupt purpose like protecting a personal financial interest in a client’s criminal enterprise, can constitute criminal obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. § 1503, regardless of the conduct’s superficial legality.
U.S. v. CUETO Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Amiel Cueto, an attorney, represented Thomas Venezia, the owner of an illegal video gambling business. Cueto and Venezia became business partners in various ventures, including a nightclub, which were financed using proceeds from the illegal gambling operation. This gave Cueto a direct personal financial interest in the continued success of Venezia’s criminal enterprise. When the FBI began investigating Venezia, Cueto engaged in a series of aggressive actions to impede the investigation and subsequent prosecution. He filed a state court lawsuit against the lead undercover agent, Bonds Robinson, and obtained a preliminary injunction against him through deceptive means that violated Robinson’s due process rights. Cueto also repeatedly urged the local State’s Attorney to indict Robinson for perjury. During the federal racketeering case against Venezia, Cueto, though not attorney of record, prepared and encouraged the filing of numerous motions intended to delay the proceedings and hinder the grand jury. Cueto was subsequently indicted and convicted for conspiracy to defraud the United States under 18 U.S.C. § 371 and three counts of obstruction of justice under 18 U.S.C. § 1503. The government’s theory was that Cueto’s actions were not legitimate advocacy but were driven by a corrupt intent to protect his own financial interests.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Can an attorney’s litigation-related conduct, such as filing lawsuits and motions, constitute a criminal violation of the omnibus clause of 18 U.S.C. § 1503 if it is undertaken with the corrupt intent to protect a personal financial interest in a client’s ongoing criminal enterprise?
Yes. The court affirmed Cueto’s convictions, holding that an attorney’s professional status Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est lab
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Can an attorney’s litigation-related conduct, such as filing lawsuits and motions, constitute a criminal violation of the omnibus clause of 18 U.S.C. § 1503 if it is undertaken with the corrupt intent to protect a personal financial interest in a client’s ongoing criminal enterprise?
Conclusion
This decision clarifies that the protection afforded to zealous legal advocacy is Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute
Legal Rule
Otherwise lawful conduct, including acts undertaken by an attorney in the course Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occae
Legal Analysis
The court rejected Cueto's argument that the omnibus clause of 18 U.S.C. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labo
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- An attorney’s litigation-related conduct, such as filing motions, can constitute criminal