United States Sixth Circuit

In balancing the relevance of motive evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 403, the unfair prejudice of lifestyle evidence does not outweigh its probative value if three factors are met: (1) there is other credible evidence, direct or circumstantial, of the illegal activity; (2) the money spent was not available to the defendant from a legitimate source; and (3) the accumulation of great wealth or extravagant spending relates to the period of the alleged illegal activity.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/22/2002
• Published 02/22/2002

Judges

• Before BOGGS and GILMAN, Circuit Judges;  QUIST, District Judge.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Craig A. Weier (argued and briefed), Jacqueline M. Hotz, Patricia G. Gaedeke, Office of the U.S. Atty., Detroit, MI, for Plaintiff-Appellee., Neil H. Fink (argued and briefed), Law Offices of Neil H. Fink, Birmingham, MI, Carole M. Stanyar (briefed), Detroit, MI, for Defendant-Appellant.