The Law Dictionary for Everyone
An indeterminate sentence is a sentence that does not assign a set amount of jail time. For example, an indeterminate sentence specifies a range, such as “5 to 10 years,” or “15 years to life,” instead of sentencing someone to a set number of years in prison. An indeterminate sentence is the opposite of a determinate sentence, which assigns a […]
Read moreThe phrase “determinate sentencing” means that an offender is sentenced to a specific amount of time in jail upon his conviction. Determinate sentencing is only used in a handful of states. Most of the country instead relies on indeterminate sentencing, which is a sentencing that refers to a range of time, rather than a set period. To explore this concept, […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Coker v. Georgia, 433 U.S. 584 (1977) Case Summary of Coker v. Georgia: Petitioner was convicted of rape and other violent offenses. He was sentenced to death on the rape charge. The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed petitioner’s conviction and sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed. The Court held that the death penalty for the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Argersinger v. Hamlin, Supreme Court of the United States, (1972) Case summary for Argersinger v. Hamlin: Jon Argersinger was charged with carrying a concealed weapon under a state statute which imposed a possible sentence of up to six months incarceration. Argersinger was not appointed counsel, and was convicted. Argersinger filed a petition for habeas […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Adamson v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (1947) Case summary for Adamson v. California: Adamson was charged with first degree murder. At trial, he failed to deny the evidence offered against him and the judge instructed the jury that such failure can be used as evidence of guilt. Adamson was convicted and […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Johnson v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (2005) Case summary for Johnson v. California: Johnson, a black man, was detained in a state prison where he was segregated based on his race. Johnson challenged the state prison’s unwritten policy in federal district court, claiming it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Robinson v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (1962) Case summary for Robinson v. California: Robinson was a drug addict who was convicted under a California state statute which criminalized being addicted to drugs. The trial judge instructed the jury that Robinson could be convicted regardless of whether or not he was in […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Ewing v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (2003) Case summary for Ewing v. California: Ewing was charged and convicted for stealing three golf clubs. Ewing previously committed two offenses, ripe under the states “three strikes” law. After receiving a sentence of 25 years imprisonment, Ewing challenged the law’s constitutionality under the Eight […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Hamdan v. Rumsfield, United States Supreme Court, (2006) Case summary for Hamdan v. Rumsfield: After being detained and brought to Guantanamo Bay, Hamdan was charged with conspiracy to be tried by a military commission and was granted habeas corpus to dispute his charge. Hamdan claimed that his trial by the U.S. military commission was […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for California v. Acevedo, Supreme Court of the United States, (1991). Case summary for California v. Acevedo: Acevedo was spotted carry a bag out of a house that was under police surveillance. Officers had probable cause to believe the bag, which Acevedo placed in his trunk, contained contraband. Officers then pulled over Acevedo, recovering the […]
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