No. 18-7739October Term 2019Decided Feb 26, 2020
Holguin-Hernandez v. United States
This case asked whether a criminal defendant preserves a challenge to an allegedly too-long sentence simply by arguing for a shorter sentence in the trial court, or whether he must also formally object after the sentence is announced.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Feb 26, 2020
- What it's about
This case asked whether a criminal defendant preserves a challenge to an allegedly too-long sentence simply by arguing for a shorter sentence in the trial court, or whether he must also formally object after the sentence is announced. The Supreme Court held that arguing for a shorter sentence is enough to preserve appellate review of the sentence’s substantive reasonableness.
Question presented
Whether a formal objection after pronouncement of sentence is necessary to invoke appellate reasonableness review of the length of a defendant's sentence.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Decision released Feb 26, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided February 26, 2020
The Court released its decision on February 26, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
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Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology