No. 23-198

Jamar M. Lewis v. United States

Lower Court: Third Circuit
Docketed: 2023-09-05
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Amici (1)
Tags: armed-career-criminal-act categorical-approach controlled-substance federal-law predicate-conviction sentencing-guidelines state-law
Key Terms:
JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2023-12-08
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the term 'controlled substance' in the Sentencing Guidelines is defined at the time of the predicate conviction or when federal consequences attach

Question Presented (from Petition)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines § 2K2.1(a)(4)(A), a defendant previously convicted of a “controlled substance offense” is subject to a sentencing enhancement. The Guidelines define “controlled substance offense” as “an offense under federal or state law *** that prohibits the manufacture, import, export, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance.” U.S.S.G. § 4B1.2(b) (emphasis added); see id. § 2K2.1 application note 1. The Guidelines do not, however, define “controlled substance.” In McNeill v. United States, 563 U.S. 816 (2011), this Court confronted the “serious drug offense” enhancement in the Armed Career Criminal Act. According to this Court, to determine the elements of a prior predicate conviction for purposes of applying the categorical approach and thus to determine whether that conviction qualifies as a “serious drug offense,” a court should look to the state law at the time of the predicate conviction. Jd. at 818. The questions presented are: 1. Under this Court’s decision in McNeill, is the term “controlled substance” in the Sentencing Guidelines defined at the time of the predicate conviction or when federal consequences attach? 2. When a federal defendant is subject to a controlled substance enhancement under the Sentencing Guidelines, does the term “controlled substance” in the Sentencing Guidelines refer only to those substances controlled under federal law or also include substances controlled under state law? (i)

Docket Entries

2023-12-11
Petition DENIED.
2023-11-21
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/8/2023.
2023-11-21
2023-11-06
Memorandum of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2023-10-05
Brief amicus curiae of National Association for Public Defense filed.
2023-09-29
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 6, 2023.
2023-09-27
Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 5, 2023 to November 6, 2023, submitted to The Clerk.
2023-08-31
2023-06-07
Application (22A1055) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until August 31, 2023.
2023-06-06
Application (22A1055) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from August 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, submitted to Justice Alito.

Attorneys

Jamar M. Lewis
Danielle Desaulniers StempelHogan Lovells US LLP, Petitioner
Danielle Desaulniers StempelHogan Lovells US LLP, Petitioner
National Association for Public Defense
Richard A. SimpsonWiley Rein, LLP, Amicus
Richard A. SimpsonWiley Rein, LLP, Amicus
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent