Search | Punch and Jurists

U.S. v. DeRusse, No. 15-3302 (10th Cir.) (859 F.3d 1232) (June 20, 2017) (Judge Monroe G. McKay)

Article • August 28, 2017 • from P&J August, 2017

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. DeRusse, No. 15-3302 (10th Cir.) (859 F.3d 1232) (June 20, 2017) (Judge Monroe G. McKay) by This is a decision that perfectly symbolizes the quixotic and often fickle nature of sentencing. Here, a divided panel from the Tenth Circuit affirmed sentence of time served for a defendant who …

U.S. v. Jacobs, No. 10-20043 (5th Cir.) (635 F.3d 778) (March 15, 2010) (Per Curiam)

Article • April 4, 2011 • from P&J April, 2011

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. Jacobs, No. 10-20043 (5th Cir.) (635 F.3d 778) (March 15, 2010) (Per Curiam) by In this case, Marcus Eugene Jacobs pled guilty to one count of possessing stolen mail in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1708. In his signed plea agreement, Jacobs generally waived his right to appeal …

U.S. v. Dhafir, No. 05-5965-cr (2nd Cir.) (577 F.3d 411) (August 18, 2009) (Judge Barrington D. Jr. Parker)

Article • September 1, 2009 • from P&J October, 2009

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. Dhafir, No. 05-5965-cr (2nd Cir.) (577 F.3d 411) (August 18, 2009) (Judge Barrington D. Jr. Parker) by [Editor's Note: For some commentaries on this decision, see: • "Second Circuit panel advocates 'more flexible approach' to tough guideline determinations," by Prof. Doug Berman, as posted on Sentencing Law and …

Burns v. U.S., No. 89-7260 (U.S. Supreme Court) (501 U.S. 129; 111 S.Ct. 2182) (June 13, 1991) (Justice Marshall)

Article • June 24, 2008

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

Burns v. U.S., No. 89-7260 (U.S. Supreme Court) (501 U.S. 129; 111 S.Ct. 2182) (June 13, 1991) (Justice Marshall) by Court held that a district court must give "reasonable notice" that it is contemplating an upward departure in the sentencing range established by the Guidelines and must specifically identify the …

U.S. v. Germosen, No. 05-CR-10120 (D.Mass.) (473 F.Supp.2d 221) (January 18, 2007) (Judge Nancy Gertner)

Article • January 1, 2007 • from P&J January, 2007

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Germosen, No. 05-CR-10120 (D.Mass.) (473 F.Supp.2d 221) (January 18, 2007) (Judge Nancy Gertner) by Here Judge Gertner presented a noteworthy explanation of, and justification for, her use of “aberrant behavior” as a means of granting a sentencing variance to a first time offender in a drug case - …

U.S. v. Crisp, No. 05-12304 (11th Cir.) (454 F.3d 1285) (July 7, 2006) (Judge Edward E. Carnes)

Article • June 1, 2006 • from P&J June, 2006

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. Crisp, No. 05-12304 (11th Cir.) (454 F.3d 1285) (July 7, 2006) (Judge Edward E. Carnes) by U.S. v. Martin, 455 F.3d 1227 (11th Cir. July 11, 2006) (Judge Hull) U.S. v. Crisp, 454 F.3d 1285 (11th Cir. July 7, 2006) (Judge Carnes) In these two decisions, the Eleventh …

U.S. v. Martin, No. 05-16645 (11th Cir.) (455 F.3d 1227) (July 11, 2006) (Judge Frank May Hull)

Article • June 1, 2006 • from P&J June, 2006

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. Martin, No. 05-16645 (11th Cir.) (455 F.3d 1227) (July 11, 2006) (Judge Frank May Hull) by U.S. v. Martin, 455 F.3d 1227 (11th Cir. July 11, 2006) (Judge Hull) U.S. v. Crisp, 454 F.3d 1285 (11th Cir. July 7, 2006) (Judge Carnes) In these two decisions, the Eleventh …

U.S. v. Cage, No. 05-2079 (10th Cir.) (451 F.3d 585) (June 8, 2006) (Judge Carlos Lucero)

Article • May 1, 2006 • from P&J May, 2006

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Departures/Variances

U.S. v. Cage, No. 05-2079 (10th Cir.) (451 F.3d 585) (June 8, 2006) (Judge Carlos Lucero) by Here the Court held that a sentence of six days imprisonment and three years of supervised release for the crimes of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine …

U.S. v. Hued, No. 03 CR. 1432(VM) (S.D.N.Y.) (338 F.Supp.2d 453) (September 10, 2004) (Judge Victor Marrero)

Article • November 1, 2004 • from P&J November, 2004

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Hued, No. 03 CR. 1432(VM) (S.D.N.Y.) (338 F.Supp.2d 453) (September 10, 2004) (Judge Victor Marrero) by In this case, Judge Marrero of the S.D.N.Y. granted the defendant an eleven-level downward departure based on aberrant behavior under the provisions of U.S.S.G. § 5K2.20. The defendant pled guilty to making …

U.S. v. Castellanos, No. 03-1036 (2nd Cir.) (355 F.3d 56) (December 1, 2003) (Judge Jon O. Newman)

Article • November 1, 2003 • from P&J November, 2003

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Castellanos, No. 03-1036 (2nd Cir.) (355 F.3d 56) (December 1, 2003) (Judge Jon O. Newman) by Here, clarifying and somewhat amplifying its earlier decision in U.S. v. Gonzalez, 281 F.3d 38 (2nd Cir. 2002), the Second Circuit held that under U.S.S.G. § 5K2.20, the “absence or presence of …

U.S. v. Guerrero, No. 01-10717 (8th Cir.) (333 F.3d 1078) (June 27, 2003) (Judge A. Wallace Tashima)

Article • July 1, 2003 • from P&J July, 2003

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Guerrero, No. 01-10717 (8th Cir.) (333 F.3d 1078) (June 27, 2003) (Judge A. Wallace Tashima) by Here, in reversing a departure based on aberrant conduct, the Court stated: "The Guideline does not define 'extraordinary.' The Application Notes, however, explain that 'aberrant behavior' is specifically required to have three …

U.S. v. Booe, No. 1:02-CR-135 (E.D.Tenn.) (252 F.Supp.2d 584) (March 19, 2003) (Judge Curtis L. Collier)

Article • May 1, 2003 • from P&J May, 2003

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Booe, No. 1:02-CR-135 (E.D.Tenn.) (252 F.Supp.2d 584) (March 19, 2003) (Judge Curtis L. Collier) by In the summer of 2002, the defendant in this case, Amielia Booe, robbed a bank in Tennessee using a threatening note. She was caught within 30 minutes; and she quickly confessed to the …

U.S. v. Rivera-Rodriguez, No. 01-2134 (1st Cir.) (318 F.3d 268) (January 29, 2003) (Judge Michael Boudin)

Article • January 1, 2003 • from P&J January, 2003

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Rivera-Rodriguez, No. 01-2134 (1st Cir.) (318 F.3d 268) (January 29, 2003) (Judge Michael Boudin) by One of the issues raised on appeal in this case was a challenge by one of the defendants that the district court had erred by not granting him a downward departure based on …

U.S. v. Castano-Vasquez, No. 00-3861 (3rd Cir.) (266 F.3d 228) (September 17, 2001) (Judge Julio M. Fuentes)

Article • September 1, 2001 • from P&J September, 2001

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Castano-Vasquez, No. 00-3861 (3rd Cir.) (266 F.3d 228) (September 17, 2001) (Judge Julio M. Fuentes) by This is the first appellate case we have seen interpreting the provisions of the recently enacted U.S.S.G. § 5K2.20, a Policy Statement that became effective on November 1, 2000. Because of Judge …

U.S. v. Spinello, No. 00-3504 (3rd Cir.) (265 F.3d 150) (September 11, 2001) (Judge Maryanne Trump Barry)

Article • September 1, 2001 • from P&J September, 2001

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Spinello, No. 00-3504 (3rd Cir.) (265 F.3d 150) (September 11, 2001) (Judge Maryanne Trump Barry) by United States v. Spinello, 265 F.3d 150 (3rd Cir. 2001) (Judge Barry) United States v. Alvarez-Pineda, 258 F.3d 1230 (10th Cir. 2001) (Judge Ebel) Effective November 1, 2000, the Sentencing Commission amended …

U.S. v. Alvarez-Pineda, No. 99-2313 (10th Cir.) (258 F.3d 1230) (August 3, 2001) (Judge David M. Ebel)

Article • September 1, 2001 • from P&J September, 2001

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Alvarez-Pineda, No. 99-2313 (10th Cir.) (258 F.3d 1230) (August 3, 2001) (Judge David M. Ebel) by United States v. Spinello, 265 F.3d 150 (3rd Cir. 2001) (Judge Barry) United States v. Alvarez-Pineda, 258 F.3d 1230 (10th Cir. 2001) (Judge Ebel) Effective November 1, 2000, the Sentencing Commission amended …

U.S. v. Ortiz, No. 00-1577 (2nd Cir.) (251 F.3d 305) (May 22, 2001) (Judge Jed S. Rakoff)

Article • May 1, 2001 • from P&J May, 2001

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Ortiz, No. 00-1577 (2nd Cir.) (251 F.3d 305) (May 22, 2001) (Judge Jed S. Rakoff) by Here the Court held that when a sentencing court imposes an enhancement for trial perjury as required by U.S.S.G. § 3C1.1, it is improper to then offset that penalty by granting a …

U.S. v. Working, No. 98-30121 (9th Cir.) (224 F.3d 1093) (September 11, 2000) (Judge Barry G. Silverman)

Article • September 1, 2000 • from P&J September, 2000

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Working, No. 98-30121 (9th Cir.) (224 F.3d 1093) (September 11, 2000) (Judge Barry G. Silverman) by In this case a majority of the en banc Court affirmed the granting of a huge 21-level downward departure to a wife accused of the attempted murder of her husband, despite the …

U.S. v. Ribot, No. CRIM. 98-10061-NG (D.Mass.) (97 F.Supp.2d 74) (March 19, 1999) (Judge Nancy Gertner)

Article • July 1, 2000 • from P&J June, 2000

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Ribot, No. CRIM. 98-10061-NG (D.Mass.) (97 F.Supp.2d 74) (March 19, 1999) (Judge Nancy Gertner) by Here Judge Gertner approved a seven-level downward departure for a defendant charged with embezzlement and tax evasion, on the grounds of mental illness/diminished capacity, and aberrant conduct, both independently and in combination. In …

U.S. v. Benally, No. 99-2145 (10th Cir.) (215 F.3d 1068) (June 9, 2000) (Judge Wade Brorby)

Article • July 1, 2000 • from P&J July, 2000

Filed under: Punch And Jurists, Aberrant Behavior

U.S. v. Benally, No. 99-2145 (10th Cir.) (215 F.3d 1068) (June 9, 2000) (Judge Wade Brorby) by Here the Tenth Circuit rejected the Government's contention that the Guidelines prohibit the sentencing courts from considering a downward departure based on aberrant conduct in cases involving serious violent felonies for which probation …