No. 20-5975

Nathaniel Ruth v. United States

Lower Court: Seventh Circuit
Docketed: 2020-10-09
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
IFP
Tags: career-offender circuit-split controlled-substance drug-offenses federal-sentencing-guidelines statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
Immigration JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2021-01-15
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Does the phrase 'controlled substance' in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) include substances that are excluded from the CSA?

Question Presented (from Petition)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED A defendant convicted of violating the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 801, et seq. (the “CSA”) is a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines if, among other things, he “has at least two prior felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense.” U.S.S.G. § 4B1.1(a). The Guidelines define “controlled substance offense” as, in part, “an offense under federal or state law, punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, that prohibits the manufacture, import, export, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance .” U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) (Emphasis added). The questions presented are: 1. Does the phrase “controlled substance” in U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) include substances that are excluded from the CSA? 2. When defining an operative, but undefined, term in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, should courts use analogous federal statutory definitions, should they use state statutory definitions, or should they use a judge-made “natural meaning” of that term? ii

Docket Entries

2021-01-19
Petition DENIED.
2020-12-30
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/15/2021.
2020-12-28
Waiver of the 14-day waiting period under 15.5 filed.
2020-12-28
Reply of petitioner Nathaniel Ruth filed. (Distributed)
2020-12-23
Brief of respondent United States of America in opposition filed.
2020-11-25
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including December 23, 2020.
2020-11-24
Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 9, 2020 to December 23, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-11-05
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 9, 2020.
2020-11-04
Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 9, 2020 to December 9, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-10-05
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 9, 2020)

Attorneys

Nathaniel Ruth
Johanes Christian MalizaJohanes Christian Maliza, Petitioner
Johanes Christian MalizaJohanes Christian Maliza, Petitioner
United States of America
Jeffrey B. WallActing Solicitor General, Respondent
Jeffrey B. WallActing Solicitor General, Respondent