Federal Sentencing Guidelines

In 1999 the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals broke new ground on a variety of issues related to the United States Sentencing Guidelines ("U.S.S.G."). A significant number of cases interpreted firearms possession in connection with various offenses; loss calculations for fraud offenses; Chapter Three adjustments, such as role, obstruction of justice, and reckless endangerment; and U.S.S.G. Section 5K departures. At the same time, the court consistently refused to revisit previously decided issues, such as the constitutionality of the crack cocaine guidelines, and sided with the majority of circuits in resolving issues of first impression in the Eleventh Circuit