Erlinger v. United States

Erlinger v. United States
Argued March 27, 2024
Decided June 21, 2024
Full case namePaul Erlinger v. United States
Docket no.23-370
Citations602 U.S. 821 (more)
144 S.Ct. 1840, 219 L.Ed.2d 451
ArgumentOral argument
Case history
PriorUnited States v. Erlinger, 77 F.4th 617 (7th Cir. 2023).
Questions presented
Whether the Constitution requires a jury trial and proof beyond a reasonable doubt to find that a defendant's prior convictions were "committed on occasions different from one another," as is necessary to impose an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1).
Holding
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments require a unanimous jury to make the determination beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant’s past offenses were committed on separate occasions for ACCA purposes.
Court membership
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Associate Justices
Clarence Thomas · Samuel Alito
Sonia Sotomayor · Elena Kagan
Neil Gorsuch · Brett Kavanaugh
Amy Coney Barrett · Ketanji Brown Jackson
Case opinions
MajorityGorsuch, joined by Roberts, Thomas, Sotomayor, Kagan, Barrett
ConcurrenceRoberts
ConcurrenceThomas
DissentKavanaugh, joined by Alito; Jackson (except Part III)
DissentJackson
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amends. VI, 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1)

Erlinger v. United States, 602 U.S. 821 (2024), was a United States Supreme Court case relating to the right to a jury trial in criminal cases under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments. The case was argued on March 27, 2024, and decided on June 21.