No. 22-7436

Chad Robert Kolkman v. United States

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2023-05-02
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Relisted (2)IFP
Tags: circuit-split criminal-history criminal-sentencing legal-interpretation mandatory-minimum sentencing statutory-construction statutory-interpretation statutory-text
Key Terms:
Environmental SocialSecurity Immigration
Latest Conference: 2024-03-22 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the 'and' in 18 U.S.C. §3553(f)(1) means 'and' consistent with the ordinary meaning of the word, so that the person remains eligible unless the person meets (A), (B), and (C), or is it a rare occasion where 'and' can transform into 'or'

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTION PRESENTED When the terms of a statute are unambiguous, “it’s no contest” what a court should do—apply the law as written. Bostock v. Clayton County, 140 8. Ct. 1731, 1737 (2020). In drafting 18 U.S.C. §3553(f)(1), which allows a court to sentence below a mandatory minimum, Congress used the word “and” to separate three different criteria needed to disqualify a person from eligibility. The criteria are if the person “does not have—(A) more than 4 criminal history points ... ; (B) a prior 3-point offense, ... ; and (C) a prior 2-point violent offense, .” 18 U.S.C. §3553(f)(1) (emphasis added). The question presented is whether the “and” in 18 U.S.C. §3553(f)(1) means “and” consistent with the ordinary meaning of the word, so that the person remains eligible unless the person meets (A), (B), and (C), as the Fourth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits have concluded, or is it a rare occasion where “and” can transform into “or,” as the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Circuits surmised.

Docket Entries

2024-03-25
Petition DENIED.
2024-03-18
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/22/2024.
2023-07-20
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/26/2023.
2023-07-03
Memorandum of respondent United States filed.
2023-05-30
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including July 3, 2023.
2023-05-26
Motion to extend the time to file a response from June 1, 2023 to July 3, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-04-13
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due June 1, 2023)

Attorneys

Chad Kolkman
Benjamin M. Miller — Petitioner
Benjamin M. Miller — Petitioner
United States
Elizabeth B. Prelogar — Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent