No. 21-64

Danny James McLaughlin v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2021-07-16
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: appellate-review bajakajian-factors criminal-fine criminal-fines eighth-amendment eighth-amendment-challenge excessive-fine judicial-review proportionality united-states-v-bajakajian
Latest Conference: 2021-09-27
Question Presented (from Petition)

When deciding whether a criminal fine is disproportionate to the gravity of a defendant's crime, and thereby unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment, may a reviewing court look beyond and consider more than the four factors identified in United States v. Bajakajian, 118 S. Ct. 2028 (1998); that is, are the Bajakajian factors exhaustive, such that a reviewing court is strictly limited to a narrow comparison between the amount of a fine and the characteristics of the offense; or, may a reviewing court accept, entertain, and consider other matters in addition to the enumerated Bajakajian factors when answering an Eighth Amendment challenge to a fine as excessive?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a reviewing court may consider factors beyond those identified in United States v. Bajakajian when determining if a criminal fine is disproportionate under the Eighth Amendment

Docket Entries

2021-10-04
Petition DENIED.
2021-07-21
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/27/2021.
2021-07-19
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2021-07-13
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 16, 2021)

Attorneys

Danny McLaughlin
Fritz SchellerFritz Scheller, P.L., Petitioner
United States
Brian H. FletcherActing Solicitor General, Respondent