Rutherford v. United States · ¶114
Refecting that norm, § 3553(a) does not permit judges to consider their own personal policy preferences when imposing an initial sentence or reducing a sentence through a compassionate-release motion. Nor does it allow judges to weigh whether they think that Congress mandated the right punishment for a given crime. It does, however, instruct judges to consider sentencing disparities, § 3553(a)(6), including those created by nonretroactive changes in law. That instruction is perfectly consistent with courts' longstanding discretion to consider all relevant information, including changes in law, when resentencing a defendant. See Con cepcion, 597 U. S., at 491–492.Read in context ›
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