United States v. Booker

United States v. Booker (2005) was a significant Supreme Court case that examined the federal sentencing guidelines. The Court ruled that the guidelines, which were mandatory and required judges to impose specific sentences based on certain factors, violated the Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury. The decision allowed judges to consider the guidelines but made them advisory rather than mandatory. This change provided judges with more discretion in sentencing, leading to a more individualized approach while ensuring defendants' rights to have a jury determine facts that could affect their sentences.