Exciting times for discussions of federal sentencing and its guidelines

As flagged in this prior post, this coming week the US Sentencing Commission has scheduled two full days of hearings to receive testimony in response to its proposed amendments to the US Sentencing Guidelines released back in December (official notice and hearing schedule here).  I have been slowly working my way through the 800+ pages of the “Compilation of Public Comment” that the USSC officially posted here.  I have only made is through about 20% of the commments, in part because they are fascainating (and intricate) in many particulars.  I hope to be able to watch at least some of the live USSC hearings this coming Wednesday and Thursday, and I am especially intrigued by what various folks may have to say about the topics that are scheduled for day 1 (“acquitted conduct” and “simplification”). 

Excitingly, I do not have to wait until Wednesday to dive fully into my total geekdoom over federal sentencing and its guidelines.  As detailed here, tomorrow (March 4), the Ohio State community is incredibly lucky to have the Chair of the US Sentencing Commission, the Honorable Judge Carlton W. Reeves, coming to the Moritz College of Law to talk about the USSC’s work.  I feel extra lucky because I have the honor of not only introducing Judge Reeves, but also thereafter moderating a conversation with two additional special judicial guests, the Honorable Chief Judge Algenon L. Marbley and the Honorable Judge Douglas Cole of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.  I know from many encounters and conversations that both Chief Judge Marbley and Judge Cole have extremely thoughtful perspectives on sentencing decision-making, and I hope to make the lunch-hour discussion a true feast for sentencing fans.

It is not too late to register here for this event taking place on Monday at the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University.