6-3 US Supreme Court ruling narrowly interprets 2018 First Step Act, limiting reduced sentences for nonviolent drug crimes.

The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the government, narrowly interpreting a provision of the 2018 First Step Act, leading to limited eligibility for federal prisoners to receive reduced sentences for nonviolent drug crimes. The Court's decision hinged on the interpretation of the word "and" in the safety valve provision, which now restricts thousands of low-level drug dealers from obtaining shortened prison terms.

March 15, 2024
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