The DOJ has used a Patriot Act provision to freeze the U.S. assets of people under criminal investigation in foreign countries--even when those assets haven't been subject to a foreign court forfeiture judgment. But when Justice tried to freeze $500 million belonging to a Brazilian banker, the D.C. Circuit ruled there are limits, after all, to the power of the Patriot Act.

Eric Butler's lawyers argued that his clients were happy with the high returns on the risky subprime securities Butler bought for them, at least until the market crashed. But the jury apparently believed Butler's former colleague, who testified that he and Butler misled clients about their purchases. Plus: The new Manhattan U.S. attorney makes some moves.

Manhattan district judge Scheindlin: "As I (and others) have repeatedly stated, the fact that damages must be calculated on an individual basis" is not fatal to class certification.

Microsoft is apparently fed up with patent holding companies allegedly shaking down its customers in East Texas patent suits. The target this time: DataTern, which has sued at least 122 companies since 2008 for allegedly infringing its database software patents.

A federal judge in Manhattan certified a global class of investors who sank billions into Fairfield Greenwich funds that fed Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme. But the judge excluded investors in 25 countries, singling out nations ranging from France, Switzerland, Israel, and China to the tiny islands of Picairn and Tokelau.

District Judge Denny Chin U.S. DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Appearances: Michael J. Garcia, Esq. United States Attorney for the

U.S. DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Magistrate Judge Maas I. Introduction The United States Government ("Government"), acting on behalf of the

District Judge Denny Chin U.S. DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Appearances By: Stephen Jay Obie, Es David W. MacGregor, Es