Supreme Court to Review Deference to Sentencing Guidelines in Federal Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that will examine the level of deference federal courts must give to the U.S. Sentencing Commission's commentary on sentencing guidelines. The case involves Kendrick Jarrell Beaird, who challenged the enhanced sentencing range applied to his felon-in-possession conviction due to a large capacity magazine. Beaird argues that the commentary improperly expanded the guidelines' scope and that courts should have more discretion. The case will revisit the precedent set by the 1993 Stinson v. U.S. ruling, which established the authority of the Sentencing Commission's commentary. 
