High Court Takes Up Sentencing Appeal Objection Issue

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to clear up an issue that has divided the federal courts of appeal about what standard courts should apply when reviewing certain sentencing appeals.

The issue is whether a formal objection after pronouncement of sentence is necessary to invoke appellate reasonableness review of the length of a defendant’s sentence.

The standard of review courts apply can affect the outcome of a case.

Gonzalo Holguin was convicted in federal court in 2016 of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and sentenced to two years in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

While on supervised ...