Sentencing

• Author: Barry Boss/Jeffrey H. Rutherford/Michael J. Proctor
• Pages: 685-818

SENTENCING

15-1

CHAPTER 15

SENTENCING

I. GOVERNING LAW

A. Evolution of the Sentencing Guidelines Regime

§15:1 Introduction

§15:2 Judicial Discretion Pre-Guidelines

§15:3 Judicial Discretion Under the Guidelines

§15:4 The Court’s Watershed Opinion in United States v. Booker

§15:5 Judicial Discretion Post Booker, Under Advisory Guidelines

§15:6 The Decisions in Rita, Gall, and Kimbrough

§15:7 Federal Sentencing Scheme Post-Booker under Advisory Guidelines

§15:8 Proper Sentencing Procedure Post-Gall

§15:8.1 Guideline Range Must Be Correctly Calculated

§15:8.2 District Courts Must Not Place Undue Weight on the Guideline Calculation

§15:8.3 The Sentencing Court Must Adequately Explain Its Sentence, Resolve

All Non-Frivolous Issues Raised by a Party and Provide Reasons

Justifying Sentences Outside Applicable Guideline Range

§15:8.4 Alternative Sentences May or May Not Be Procedurally Unsound

§15:8.5 Disagreeing With the Guidelines

§15:9 Long-Term Implications for Defendants

§15:10 Proceedings Under 18 U.S.C. §3582(c)(2)

B. FRCrP 32

§15:11 Purpose

§15:12 Procedure and Timetable

C. Advisory Sentencing Guidelines

1. Def‌initions

§15:13 Sentencing

§15:14 Total Offense Level Including Upward and Downward Adjustments

§15:15 Acceptance of Responsibility

§15:16 Criminal History

§15:16.1 Basic Points

§15:16.2 Armed Career Criminal Act and Career Offender Guidelines

§15:16.3 Departure Where Criminal History Category Overrepresents

Seriousness of Defendant’s Criminal History

§15:17 Guideline Range

§15:18 Sentencing Worksheet

§15:19 Policy Statement

§15:20 Commentary

§15:21 Relevant Conduct

§15:22 Acquitted and Dismissed Conduct

SENTENCING

Federal Criminal Practice 15-2

2. Guidelines In General

§15:23 Purpose and Non-Binding Nature

§15:24 Enactment and Amendment

§15:25 Guidelines Manual

§15:26 Ex Post Facto Violations

§15:27 Policy Statements

§15:28 Commentary

§15:29 Below Guideline Sentences; Departures and Variances

3. Variances From Guidelines Under 18 U.S.C. §3553(a)

§15:30 Most Commonly Relied Upon Grounds for Downward Variances

§15:31 Medical Conditions

§15:32 Mental and Emotional Conditions At The Time of the Offense

§15:33 Troubled or Traumatic Childhood

§15:34 Charitable Acts

§15:35 Substantial Assistance Without Government Motion

§15:36 Guideline Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine

§15:37 Disparity Between Co-Defendants and Other Federal Defendants

§15:38 Disparity Between State and Federal Defendants

§15:39 Absence of a Fast-Track Program

§15:40 Rehabilitation and Post-Sentence Rehabilitation

§15:41 Loss Overstates Culpability

§15:42 Mandatory Minimum of Separate Offense As Basis To Impose Lower Sentence

4. Guideline Departures

a. Grounds

§15:43 In General

b. Procedure

§15:44 Advise Prosecutor and Probation Off‌icer

§15:45 File Motion

§15:46 Court’s Statement of Reasons

§15:47 Appellate Review

c. Aggravating or Mitigating Circumstances

§15:48 What Court May Consider

§15:49 Departure Policy Statements

§15:49.1 Departure Discouraged

§15:49.2 Departure Encouraged

§15:49.3 Departure Forbidden

d. Substantial Assistance

§15:50 Government Motion

§15:51 Government’s Obligation Under Plea Agreement

§15:52 Judicial Review of Refusal to File Motion

§15:53 Move Court to Compel Compliance With Plea Agreement

§15:54 Court May Not Defer Ruling

§15:55 Refusal to Depart Downward Not Appealable

§15:56 Factors That Can Be Considered in Departing Based on Defendant’s Assistance

§15:57 Departure Starts From Mandatory Minimum Term

5. Resources

§15:58 Books and Periodicals

§15:59 USSC Online

§15:60 Defenders Services Division Training Branch

D. Other

§15:61 Statutes

§15:62 Cases

SENTENCING

15-3 Sentencing

II. SENTENCE OPTIONS

A. In General

§15:63 Determining Factors

§15:64 Authorized Sentences

§15:65 Abolition of Parole; Time to Be Served

§15:66 Supervised Release

§15:67 Restitution

§15:67.1 Discretionary (18 U.S.C. §3663)

§15:67.2 Mandatory (“MVRA”) (18 U.S.C. §3663A)

§15:67.3 Determining the Amount of Restitution and Payment Schedule

§15:67.4 Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA)

§15:67.5 Title 26 (Tax) Cases

§15:67.6 Appeal Waivers

§15:67.7 Attorneys’ Fees and Related Expenses Incurred

During the Course of the Investigation

§15:67.8 Child Pornography Cases

§15:67.9 Restitution and Forfeitures

B. Minimum or Maximum Sentence

§15:68 Maximum Fine or Imprisonment Generally

§15:69 Mandatory Minimum Terms

§15:70 “Safety Valve” for First Time Drug Offenders

§15:71 Mandatory Life Imprisonment for Serious Felonies

§15:72 Fair Sentencing Act of 2010

[§15:73 – 15:84 Reserved]

III. PROCEDURE

A. Presentence Investigation and Report

1. In General

§15:85 Def‌inition

§15:86 Probation Off‌icer’s Role

§15:87 Time Requirements

§15:88 Cases in Which Report Required

§15:89 Waiver

§15:90 Information From Government

2. Information From Defendant

§15:91 Extent of Information to Provide

§15:92 Get Advance Notice of Contact With Defendant

§15:93 Defendant Interview

§15:94 [Reserved]

§15:95 Offense of Conviction

§15:96 Discussing Offense After Trial

§15:97 Relevant Conduct

§15:98 Substance Abuse

§15:99 Grounds for Downward Departure

3. Application of Guidelines

§15:100 Probation Off‌icer’s Calculation

§15:101 Review Case Law and Statutes

4. Sentence Recommendation

§15:102 Possible Recommendations

§15:103 Disclosure Before Sentencing

5. Objections

§15:104 Procedure

§15:105 Send to Probation Off‌icer

§15:106 Object to Preserve Issue for Appeal