FPD Blog
As an update to the January 10, 2014, blog regarding the Sentencing Commission's proposal to lower the drug quantity table, a hearing has has been scheduled for March 13, 2014. They will vote in early April and submit it to Congress in May. If passed, the effective date would be November 1, 2014. (For details on this proposal, please see our 1/10/14 blog entitled "Sentencing Commission Proposes to Lower Drug Quantity Table by Two Levels." )
Effective December 9, 2013, Local Criminal Rule 32.2 has been modified to include safeguards for non-disclosure in presentence reports of USSG 5K1.1 cooperation. Rule 32.2 effective Dec. 9, 2013
In a news release from the U.S. Sentencing Commission dated January 9, 2014, the Commission voted to publish proposed sentencing guideline amendments which includes possible reductions to the sentencing guideline levels for drug trafficking offenses. The proposed amendment would lower the base offense level in the Drug Quantity Table by two levels in guideline section 2D1.1. A hearing will be held in March by the Commission. If it passes the amendment will then be submitted to Congress sometime in May. The exact date for the Commission's hearing has not been scheduled as of now. ...
The Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure were modified effective December 1, 2013. The new version can be found here. One change of immediate import affects the structure of the appellant's opening brief and the appellee's brief. FRAP 28 no longer requires a separate "Statement of the Case" and a "Statement of the Facts." The rule now in effect combines those two sections of the brief to be called simply "Statement of the Case," which is to set forth the following: "the facts relevant to the issues submitted for review, describing the relevant procedural history, and identifying the...