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Sentencing Guidelines Commission approves 2025 changes, inserts “adult” in departure language after split debate
Summary
The Sentencing Guidelines Commission approved a package of 2025 guideline modifications on Dec. 18, 2025, voting 10–1 to add the word “adult” before “state of adjudication” in a new departure factor after commissioners debated juvenile impacts and fourth-degree assault rankings.
The Sentencing Guidelines Commission voted Dec. 18 to adopt a package of proposed 2025 guideline modifications, including the insertion of the word “adult” before the phrase “state of adjudication” in a newly drafted departure factor. Commissioner Moore moved the package; Commissioner Larkin seconded. Chair Mitchell announced the vote: 10 in favor, 1 opposed (Commissioner Saxena).
The vote follows an extended debate over several parts of the package — most notably whether to uprank fourth-degree assault and how juvenile adjudications and decay periods should affect mitigating departure factors. Commissioner Castro raised a central concern during discussion: “so many of these cases are people…
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