Justices' Sentencing Ruling Is More Of A Ripple Than A Wave

In its decision last week in Esteras v. U.S., the U.S. Supreme Court limited the types of factors that lower courts may consider in imposing prison sentences for supervised release violations.

Those awaiting the court's decision vigorously deliberated the extent to which the court would constrain district judges' ability to sentence supervised release offenders based on past bad behavior, rather than on forward-looking factors.

With Esteras decided, the answer's practical impact is more likely to be a ripple rather than a wave.