Justices Reinforce Leeway on Sentences
128912
The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that federal judges are not bound by federal guidelines calling for tougher penalties for those who sell crack rather than powder cocaine, giving them broad discretion in drug and other criminal cases.
141417
Why a Supreme Court ruling on sentencing guidelines puts more power back on the bench
608416
WASHINGTON - Federal sentencing guidelines that allow judges to impose harsher penalties on criminals without jury involvement should be upheld as constitutional to avoid mayhem in courthouses nationwide, a government lawyer told the Supreme Court Monday.   "This case concerns the constitutionality of 1,200 criminal sentences that take place in federal court every week," said acting Solicitor General Paul Clement...
615612
In a major criminal law decision, a closely divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that federal judges no longer must follow the long-criticized sentencing guidelines in effect since 1987.
420159
The Supreme Court returned to work Monday to hear pleas from death-row inmates to force states to use different drugs or tighten their procedures to reduce the risk that prisoners will suffer excruciating pain during their executions.
77573
Courts have issued conflicting rulings over what will constitute valid 'provisional' votes.
565556
A bid to declare capital punishment for juveniles unconstitutional was met with doubts from one of two Supreme Court justices likely to be pivotal in its outcome.
195116
A narrow majority of Supreme Court justices appeared to signal yesterday that they intend to strike down the death penalty for teenage murderers
339520
A divided U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that federal judges no longer have to abide by the controversial 18-year-old sentencing guidelines.
230657
The Supreme Court gave a cool reception to the Bush administration&#39;s plea to save the rules that federal judges use in sentencing offenders yesterday, with a slim but firm majority of the court
607676
A plea to declare capital punishment for juvenile offenders unconstitutional received a skeptical hearing at the Supreme Court yesterday, as one of two justices likely to be pivotal to the outcome voiced repeated doubts.
632629
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upholds New York's system of choosing trial judges is likely to renew calls for legislative reform, but even some proponents of change say their chances of success are slim.
101594
Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling on federal sentencing had been keenly awaited for months because it was expected to resolve questions that had put cases on hold throughout the federal system.
421226
While it is risky to predict how the justices will decide, some expressed skepticism today about the case.
659125
A ruling by New York's highest court on the state's death penalty law has complicated the job of prosecutors and left the fate of inmates uncertain.
220319
A majority of the Supreme Court appeared Monday to find constitutional problems with the federal sentencing guidelines and grappled with whether to dramatically
331678
The Supreme Court begins its new term today by moving to clear up confusion over the future of federal sentencing rules that have been in place for nearly two decades.