Big Head DC has learned that Justice Clarence Thomas has referred to the full Supreme Court Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s emergency application to stay the criminal proceedings against her, so that the propriety of the seizure of her property last October may be determined. This action, in effect, has overruled a previous decision by Chief Justice John Roberts regarding the case.

The date for the full Court review of the emergency application is June 21.

According to Montgomery Blair Sibley, Palfrey’s civil lawyer, the underlying policy question for the Court to consider is whether the government can force indigency upon a citizen by seizing all the assets without even identifying the source of the allegations and thus force the accused to rely upon the beneficence of the government for the resources to mount a vigorous defense of criminal charges.