Significant Amendments to US Sentencing Guidelines Now in Effect

Sweeping changes to the US Sentencing Guidelines are taking effect on Wednesday, after Congress took no action to veto the US Sentencing Commission’s proposed amendments.

The updates address a wide range of issues including, but not limited to, sentencing reductions, criminal history points, career offender enhancements, firearms offenses, and fake pills.

It’s the first time the guidelines have been revised in years, due to the Commission’s lack of a quorum between between January 2019 and August 2022.

The amendments will have significant implications for some defendants. Although the guidelines aren’t binding, they are—at a minimum—the starting point for federal judges. ...