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Mathis v. United States

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Mathis v. United States
Decided June 23, 2016
Full case nameMathis v. United States
Docket no.15-6092
Citations579 U.S. ___ (more)
Holding
If a state law defines a crime more broadly than the common understanding of that crime, a conviction under that state law cannot be used as a sentencing enhancement under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act.
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Associate Justices
Anthony Kennedy · Clarence Thomas
Ruth Bader Ginsburg · Stephen Breyer
Samuel Alito · Sonia Sotomayor
Elena Kagan
Case opinions
MajorityKagan, joined by Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Sotomayor
ConcurrenceKennedy
ConcurrenceThomas
DissentBreyer, joined by Ginsburg
DissentAlito
Laws applied
Armed Career Criminal Act

Mathis v. United States, 579 U.S. ___ (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that if a state law defines a crime more broadly than the common understanding of that crime, a conviction under that state law cannot be used as a sentencing enhancement under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act.[1][2]

Description

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The conviction at issue was under Iowa's burglary law, which criminalized unlawful entry into "any building, structure, [or] land, water, or air vehicle." To the Court, the common understanding of "burglary" was unlawful entry into a "building or other structure."[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Mathis v. United States, No. 15-6092, 579 U.S. ___ (2016)
  2. ^ "Opinion analysis: Victory for the "categorical approach" in immigration and federal criminal sentencing – but for how long?". SCOTUSblog. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
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  • Text of Mathis v. United States, No. 15-6092, 579 U.S. ___ (2016) is available from: Justia