No. 21-5099October Term 2021Decided Jan 10, 2022Updated Jan 10, 2022
Guerrant v. United States
This case asks whether a prior state drug conviction can be used to increase a federal sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines' career-offender rule when the state law covers substances that are not controlled under federal law.
Case status
Decided · January 10, 2022
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jan 10, 2022
- What it's about
This case asks whether a prior state drug conviction can be used to increase a federal sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines' career-offender rule when the state law covers substances that are not controlled under federal law. Guerrant is challenging the use of such a state distribution conviction as a qualifying predicate offense.
Question presented
Does a state conviction for distribution of a substance not defined as a "controlled substance" by federal law qualify as a career offender predicate conviction under the Sentencing Guidelines?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit / Decision released Jan 10, 2022
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided January 10, 2022
The Court released its decision on January 10, 2022 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
Opinion added: Opinion
Jan 10, 2022 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Jul 7, 2021 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology