Government Wins at High Court on Intent in Three-Strike Gun Law (1)

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous opinion by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, sided with the government June 10 in a case about intent requirements in an oft-litigated sentencing law that imposes strict mandatory minimums on gun offenders.

It’s the high court’s latest in a long-running series of cases interpreting the Armed Career Criminal Act, which imposes minimum 15-year prison terms for gun offenders with three prior “violent felony” convictions. Litigation comes into play when determining what violent felony means.

It’s the justices’ third ruling on the law this term and the government’s third win.

To be sure, the ruling is ...