Jury trials for criminal fines
Southern Union v. United States
In brief
The Supreme Court overturned the First Circuit's judgment and sent Southern Union's case back for another look.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided 6-3 · June 21, 2012 · Opinion by Justice Sotomayor
- What it’s about
- Southern Union Company challenged how a criminal fine was calculated, asking whether a jury must find facts that raise a fine above the statutory maximum.
- Who it affects
- The First Circuit's judgment in Southern Union's case no longer stands, and the dispute returns to that court.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The Supreme Court overturned the First Circuit’s judgment and sent the case back to the lower court (remanded).
The case asked whether the jury-trial rule for facts that increase criminal punishment above the legal maximum also applies when the punishment is a fine.
Question presented
In light of the rights to criminal due process under the Fifth Amendment and a trial by jury under the Sixth Amendment, must a fact that increases the penalty for a crime, beyond the prescribed statutory maximum, be submitted to a jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt if the penalty is the imposition of criminal fines?
What the Court decided
Holding
Judgment reversed and case remanded. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Scalia, Thomas, Ginsburg, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Breyer, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Kennedy and Alito, JJ., joined.
- Result
- Reversed
The vote
What's next
The First Circuit will reconsider the case after the Supreme Court sent it back.
Documents
Opinions
Audio
Docket activity
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Impact Analysis
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
AI analysis generated: Opinion Summary
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AI analysis generated: Decision Record
Case data updated: summary, question_presented, generation_metadata
Case data updated: question_presented, extraction_metadata
Audio Recording added: Oral Arguments - Southern Union Company v. United States
Opinion added: Southern Union
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.