Seems like simple fairness to say that the law firm shouldn’t be entitled to a $2 million windfall on this one. If they are going to give all or most of the money back to donors like Lindell, Ricky Schroder et al., then okay. But it doesn’t seem right that donations for a good cause (i.e., Kyle’s freedom) should end up as windfall profits for a law firm.
The question of who the court writes the check out to is not the same as the question of who is entitled to the money. The rule, apparently, is the court returns to money to whoever paid it into the court.
Just because the check is written to the law firm doesn’t mean that the law firm gets to spend it. The law firm may be deemed to hold it in trust for the persons entitled to it. That happens all the time.
They each should get back what they put in. Remainder should go to Rittenhouses.