Should this Court should grant certiorari in order to resolve the following conflict among the circuits: Is a sentencing judge required specifically to rule on requests for downward departures before considering possible variances from the guideline range? Or is a sentencing judges authorized to subsume downward departure determinations into its consideration of requests for variances governed by the general rule of reasonableness?

Should a sentencing judge be required to rule on downward departure requests before considering variances?