The FIRST STEP Act, signed into law in 2018, is designed to ease some of the harsh penalties associated with non-violent drug offenses. One of the ways it does this is by changing the mandatory minimums that can be handed down in drug cases. If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, it’s important to understand how the FIRST STEP Act may affect your case. Here’s what you need to know.
What are Mandatory Minimums?
In general, a mandatory minimum is the least amount of time that someone can be sentenced to for a particular crime. For example, if the mandatory minimum for a drug offense is 5 years, that means that even if the judge believes that a sentence of 2 years would be more appropriate, they are still required to hand down a sentence of 5 years.
How Did the FIRST STEP Act Change Mandatory Minimums?
The FIRST STEP Act makes several changes to mandatory minimums, but the most significant is that it gives judges more discretion in sentencing for certain non-violent drug offenses. This means that instead of being required to hand down a fixed sentence, judges can now take into account things like the person’s criminal history and the facts of the case when deciding on a sentence.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, the fact that judges now have more discretion when it comes to sentencing could mean that you may receive a lighter sentence than you would have under the old rules. However, it’s important to remember that each case is different and there’s no guarantee that you will get a lighter sentence just because of these changes. If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, it’s important to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help you understand how these changes may impact your case and what your best options are.
The FIRST STEP Act made several changes to mandatory minimums, but the most significant is that it gave judges more discretion in sentencing for certain non-violent drug offenses. If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, this could mean that you may receive a lighter sentence than you would have under the old rules. However, it’s important to remember that each case is different and there’s no guarantee that you will get a lighter sentence just because of these changes. If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, it’s important to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help you understand how these changes may impact your case and what your best options are.