Supreme Court of the United States
Gonzalo Holguin-Hernandez, Petitioner v. United States
February 26, 2020589 U.S. 169
Summary
Justice Breyer delivered the unanimous opinion holding that Holguin-Hernandez preserved his appellate claim that his 12-month sentence was substantively unreasonable by advocating for a shorter sentence in the District Court. Rule 51(b) did not require an additional objection after sentencing or an express reference to reasonableness. The Court vacated the Court of Appeals’ judgment and remanded, leaving unresolved the preservation requirements for procedural sentencing challenges and particular substantive-reasonableness arguments. Justice Alito, joined by Justice Gorsuch, concurred to emphasize those reservations, including that the Court had not decided whether Holguin-Hernandez preserved his particular arguments concerning deterrence and danger to the public.
Holding
- Preservation of an appellate challenge to the substantive reasonableness of a sentence.. Holguin-Hernandez preserved his claim that his 12-month sentence was unreasonably long by advocating for a shorter sentence; no additional objection or express reference to reasonableness was required.
Docket 18-7739