Supreme Court of the United States
Buford v. United States
March 20, 2001532 U.S. 59
Summary
Justice Breyer delivered the unanimous opinion holding that appellate courts should deferentially review a district court’s determination whether prior convictions were functionally consolidated for sentencing under the Sentencing Guidelines. The Court emphasized the determination’s fact-bound nature, district judges’ greater familiarity with sentencing and consolidation practices, and the limited usefulness of appellate precedent in resolving such case-specific questions. It affirmed the Seventh Circuit’s judgment. There were no separate opinions.
Holding
- The standard of appellate review governing a district court’s functional-consolidation determination under the Sentencing Guidelines.. A district court’s determination whether prior convictions were functionally consolidated for sentencing is reviewed deferentially, rather than de novo, even when the underlying facts are undisputed.
Docket 99-9073
Cited authorities
- CA10
- CA11
- 18 U.S.C. § 3742
- Fed. R. Civ. P. 11
Cited by
- United States of America, Appellee v. Peter McLaughlin, Defendant, Appellant
- United States, Appellee v. Steven Wesley Bell, Defendant, Appellant
- United States of America v. Trevis Caldwell, Defendant
- United States of America v. John Goetchius, Defendant
- United States of America v. Nicole Martin
- United States v. Carvajal
- Jefferson v. Turner
- Thompson v. Bracy