Stinson v. United States

Infobox SCOTUS case
Litigants = Stinson v. United States
ArgueDate = March 24
ArgueYear = 1993
DecideDate = May 3
DecideYear = 1993
FullName = Terry Lynn Stinson, Petitioner v. United States
USVol = 508
USPage = 36
Citation =
Prior =
Subsequent =
Holding = The Guidelines Manual's commentary which interprets or explains a guideline is authoritative unless it violates the Constitution or a federal statute, or is inconsistent with, or a plainly erroneous reading of, that guideline.
SCOTUS = 1991-1993
Majority = Kennedy
JoinMajority = "unanimous"
LawsApplied =

"Stinson v. United States", 508 U.S. 36 (1993), is a decision of the United States Supreme Court, which held that commentary issued by the United States Sentencing Commission (which promulgates the United States Sentencing Guidelines), which interprets or explains a guideline is authoritative unless it violates the Constitution or a federal statute, or is inconsistent with, or a plainly erroneous reading of, that guideline.

The "Stinson" decision has had broad influence having been cited in over 1,000 other federal appellate decisions, including both "Blakely v. Washington" (2004) and "United States v. Booker" (2005) the cases which rewrote federal guideline sentencing law. The Stinson decision has additionally been cited in over 3,700 appellate briefs and over 250 law reviews.

The case was argued at the Supreme Court March 24, 1993 by William Mallory Kent on behalf of Stinson and Paul J. Larkin for the Solicitor General of the United States. The decision issued May 3, 1993, nine to zero for Stinson. With Mr. Larkin on the Solicitor General's brief were also Acting Solicitor General Bryson, Acting Assistant Attorney General Keeney, and John F. DePue. Robert Augustus Harper filed a brief on behalf of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as amicus curiae.

ee also

*List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 508
*"Blakely v. Washington", ussc|542|296|2004
*"United States v. Booker", ussc|543|220|2005