Supreme Court Ruling Denies Thousands of Inmates Chance for Shorter Sentences

The Supreme Court narrowly interpreted a provision of the First Step Act, a landmark criminal justice law, siding with the government in a decision likely to limit the number of federal prisoners eligible for reduced sentences for nonviolent drug crimes. The 6-3 decision, not split along ideological lines, concluded that a criminal defendant must meet specific criminal history conditions to qualify for relief, with failure to meet any criteria rendering a prisoner ineligible. The case focused on eligibility for shorter prison sentences under the bipartisan 2018 legislation, and the majority opinion, written by Justice Elena Kagan, adopted a tone of an English teacher, focusing on the interpretation of grammar in the law.