Associated Press

Attorneys for a man charged with impersonating a lawyer say the charges should be dropped because the indictment is not clear.

Howard O. Kieffer has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of mail fraud and false statements. Authorities say he worked on federal cases in at least 10 states, but North Dakota is the first state to prosecute him.

In a motion to dismiss the case, defense attorneys say the government does not state a "plain, concise and definite written statement'" of the charges. Kieffer's attorneys say the indictment does not allow them to fairly prepare a defense.

Kieffer's trial is set for Jan. 6 in Bismarck.

At a hearing last week, Kieffer agreed to stay in his Duluth, Minn., home until his trial. U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Miller Jr. ruled that Kieffer must cut off Internet access to his home and must submit to electronic monitoring.