Joshua Voss, ‘09, argued motions and case management items on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on June 5 before a special master of the United States Supreme Court.

An associate at Kleinbard LLC, Voss is representing Pennsylvania in a $10 million battle against the state of Delaware, which received the proceeds of unclaimed and abandoned financial instruments sold by MoneyGram. 

Voss argued in a courtroom of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals before a special master appointed by the U.S. Supreme Court to handle the matter.

Approximately 30 states are involved in the case, which arose after an audit of MoneyGram discovered that the firm had sent the proceeds from abandoned checks to Delaware, where the company is incorporated.  Pennsylvania filed the initial suit against Delaware officials in the Middle District of Pennsylvania last year.  Later, the parties agreed to pursue the matter in the Supreme Court, and Delaware petitioned the Court to hear the dispute.

Because the dispute pits states against one another, the U.S. Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over the matter.  The special master appointed by the Supreme Court will handle the case and issue recommendations to the high court as to how to interpret the federal Disposition of Abandoned Money Orders and Travelers Checks Act. 

“It was exciting,” Voss said of the experience.  He and his Kleinbard colleague Matthew Haverstick were the only attorneys from Pennsylvania in a courtroom crowded with lawyers from Delaware, Arkansas, California, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.

In a nod to Drexel pride, Voss said he kept his Mario Dragon pin in his pocket during the proceedings.