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The Sentencing Court's Discretion To Depart Downward In Recognition Of A Defendant's Substantial Assistance: A Proposal To Eliminate The Government Motion Requirement, Cynthia Lee

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

In this article, Cynthia Lee examines the tension between judicial discretion and the sentencing guidelines established by the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Lee argues that a sentencing court should not require a government motion before departing downward in recognition of a defendant's substantial assistance in the investigation or prosecution of another person. In Part One, Lee provides the historical background leading to the creation of the sentencing guidelines, which were enacted to curb the sentencing disparity resulting from broad judicial discretion. In Part Two, she summarizes the district and appellate court interpretations of 18 U.S.C. Subsection 3553(e) and Subsection …