Hughes v. United States
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-155 | Mar 27, 2018 | Jun 4, 2018 | 6-3 | Kennedy | OT 2017 |
Holding: A Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(c)(1)(C) plea agreement is "based on" the defendant"s Federal Sentencing Guidelines range so long as that range was part of the framework the district court relied on in imposing the sentence or accepting the agreement; thus, Erik Hughes may seek a sentencing reduction under 18 U. S. C. "3582(c)(2).
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Kennedy on June 4, 2018. Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion. Chief Justice Roberts filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Thomas and Alito joined.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- OT2017 #28: "Stale Cake" (First Mondays, June 11, 2018)
- Opinion analysis: Justices clarify when prisoners can benefit from sentencing-guidelines changes, but refuse to revisit the narrowest-grounds test (Justin Marceau, June 5, 2018)
- A "view" from the courtroom: Justice Kennedys Master-pice de rsistance (Mark Walsh, June 4, 2018)
- SCOTUS for law students: Counting at the Supreme Court (Stephen Wermiel, May 18, 2018)
- Argument analysis: "We know how to get to five" justices debate precedent in the absence of a majority opinion (Justin Marceau, March 28, 2018)
- Argument preview: Narrowing the narrowest grounds test, or simply interpreting a federal statute? (Justin Marceau, March 20, 2018)
- Justices release March calendar (Amy Howe, January 24, 2018)
- Court adds seven new cases to merits docket (Amy Howe, December 9, 2017)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 05/19/2017 | Application (16A1134) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 28, 2017 to July 27, 2017, submitted to Justice Thomas. |
| 05/22/2017 | Application (16A1134) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until July 27, 2017. |
| 07/27/2017 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 31, 2017) |
| 08/24/2017 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including October 2, 2017. |
| 09/22/2017 | Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including November 1, 2017. |
| 11/01/2017 | Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed. |
| 11/17/2017 | Reply of petitioner Erik Hughes filed. |
| 11/20/2017 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/8/2017. |
| 12/08/2017 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 01/11/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Erik Hughes. |
| 01/22/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED. |
| 01/22/2018 | Brief of petitioner Erik Hughes filed. |
| 01/24/2018 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, March 27, 2018 |
| 01/25/2018 | Brief amici curiae of Chantell and Michael Sackett, and Duarte Nursery, Inc. filed. |
| 01/26/2018 | Brief amicus curiae of Richard M. Re in support of neither party filed. |
| 01/26/2018 | Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Law Professors in support of neither party filed. |
| 01/29/2018 | Brief amici curiae of Agricultural Building, Forestry, Livestock, Manufacturing, Mining, and Petroleum Business Interests filed. |
| 01/29/2018 | Brief amici curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the National Association of Federal Defenders filed. |
| 01/29/2018 | Brief amicus curiae of Professor Douglas A. Berman filed. |
| 02/07/2018 | CIRCULATED |
| 02/20/2018 | Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Law Professors in support of neither party GRANTED. |
| 02/21/2018 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 11th Circuit. |
| 02/21/2018 | Brief of respondent United States filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/02/2018 | Record received from the U.S.D.C. Northern Dist. of Georgia. (1 Envelope, part of the record is Sealed) |
| 03/13/2018 | Reply of petitioner Erik Hughes filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/27/2018 | Argued. For petitioner: Eric Shumsky, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Rachel P. Kovner, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. |
| 06/04/2018 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Kennedy, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Gorsuch, JJ., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a concurring opinion. Roberts, C. J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Alito, JJ., joined. |
| 07/06/2018 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| 08/29/2018 | The record from the U.S.D.C. Northern Dist. of Georgia has been returned. |