MORE ON: Supreme Court's 'Honest Services' Rulings In Skilling And Black Cases

In lengthy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court has just ruled that the federal "honest services" law can be applied to criminalize only schemes to defraud that involve bribes or kickbacks. The Court rejected the government's contention that it also proscribed "undisclosed self-dealing by a public official or private employee—i.e., the taking of official action by the employee that furthers his own undisclosed financial interests while purporting to act in the interests of those to whom he owes a fiduciary duty."  

The opinions are available at:  http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-1394.pdf and http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-876.pdf.