Sentencing
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Hewitt v. United States
US Sup.Ct. Slip Op. of June 26, 2025 Ruling: The First Step Act, enacted by Congress in 2018, substantially reduces sentences that can be imposed for certain crimes that were committed before enactment, as long as final sentencing does not occur until after enactment. If a sentence for a pre-enactment crime has been vacated, either… Continue reading
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Esteras v. United States
US Sup. Ct. Slip Opinion of June 20, 2025: In any consideration of the “supervised release” of a criminal convict in federal court, the sentencing judge may not consider further imprisonment of the convict beyond the term of actual imprisonment that has been formally imposed. By a 7-2 majority, the Court held that Congress mandated… Continue reading
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HARSH SENTENCING RETAINED AFTER DRUG CRIME REDUCTIONS
The federal Armed Career Criminal Act (the ACCA), 18 U.S.C. § 924, provides for an unavoidably severe prison sentence for individuals who are convicted of violating federal gun laws at the same time they also have a record of three or more state court convictions of a “serious drug offense” (among other things). 18 U.S.C.… Continue reading
RECENT RULINGS 