United States v. One Parcel of Real Estate

Ricardo Borroto, on behalf of his deceased wife Estella Borroto, contests the denial of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b) relief in this civil forfeiture action. In order to bring an end to the protracted litigation of this case, we do not base our decision here on the problems concerning Borroto’s standing to continue to prosecute this appeal after his wife died. We hold that (1) the order of civil forfeiture action against Estella Borroto’s house did not abate upon her death pending this appeal; and (2) the district court correctly held that forfeiture of claimant’s house did not…