Plain-English summary
Court narrows reach of earlier mandatory-minimum reductions under the First Step Act
The Court decided in Hewitt v. United States that parts of the First Step Act’s reduced mandatory-minimums do apply in a way that affected Tony Hewitt’s sentence, reversing the Fifth Circuit and remanding the case. The decision clarifies which defendants can benefit from the FSA’s lower penalties.
Why this matters
The ruling determines who can get shorter federal sentences under the First Step Act. That affects people currently in federal custody for certain drug and firearm crimes and affects prosecutors and courts deciding whether to grant relief under the Act. It also shapes how the government implements a major criminal-sentencing reform passed in 2018.
Who may feel it
- People convicted of federal drug- and firearm-related offenses covered by the First Step Act
- People serving federal sentences imposed before or after December 21, 2018, when the FSA was enacted
- Federal prosecutors and defense lawyers handling resentencing or relief motions
- District courts reviewing motions for sentence reduction under the FSA
Key questions
- Does the First Step Act’s reduction of mandatory-minimum sentences apply to offenses committed before its enactment but sentenced after December 21, 2018?