Supreme Court of the United States
Nichols v. United States
June 6, 1994511 U.S. 738
Summary
The Court, in an opinion authored by Chief Justice Rehnquist and joined by Justices O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy and Thomas, held that a prior uncounseled misdemeanor conviction that was valid under Scott v. Illinois may be used to enhance a defendant's sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines, thereby overruling Baldasar v. Illinois. Justice Souter filed a concurring opinion in the judgment, agreeing with the result but not the reasoning. Justices Blackmun, Stevens and Ginsburg dissented, arguing that the majority's rule violates the Sixth Amendment and that such convictions should not be used for enhancement.
Holding
- Whether a prior uncounseled misdemeanor conviction may be used to enhance a sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines.. An uncounseled misdemeanor conviction that is valid under Scott v. Illinois may be used to enhance a subsequent sentence, and Baldasar v. Illinois is overruled.
Docket 92-8556
Cited authorities
- CA10
- 21 U.S.C. § 846
- 55 FR 5741
- Ga. Code Ann. § 40.6-391
- 21 U.S.C. § 841
- 55 FR 5741
- Alaska Stat. Ann. § 18.85.100
- N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 604
Cited by
- United States v. Amer Sinan Alhaggagi
- United States v. James Clive Clark, Jr.
- Arthur C. Krieger, Ii v. Commonwealth of Virginia
- Larry E. Samuels v. Commonwealth of Virginia
- State of Vermont v. Shawn E. Brown; State of Vermont v. Richard A. Peryer
- State of Hawai'I, Plaintiff-Appellee v. John E. Sinagoga, Defendant-Appellant
- State of Kansas, Appellee v. Steven W. LaMunyon, Appellant
- United States, Appellee v. Juan Carlos Cadavid, Defendant, Appellant