Amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the consideration of acquitted conduct at sentencing.

Summary

Prohibits federal courts from using acquitted conduct to increase a defendant's sentence, except when that conduct is offered to mitigate a sentence. The bill also defines “acquitted conduct” to cover acts that were charged but resulted in acquittal, juvenile findings of not responsible, or dismissals/Rule 29 acquittals and makes the rule apply only to judgments entered on or after the law takes effect.

• Federal courts would be prohibited from considering acquitted conduct to increase a defendant's sentence, except if used to mitigate the sentence.
• The bill adds a statutory definition of "acquitted conduct," covering acquittals in Federal, State, Tribal, and juvenile proceedings and certain dismissals.
• The restriction applies only to judgments entered on or after the date of enactment and is not retroactive to prior sentences.
• Prosecutors would lose the ability to seek sentence enhancements based on conduct for which a defendant was acquitted.
• Defendants could use acquitted conduct only to seek sentence reductions, not increases.
• The change may shift charging and plea strategies and prompt new litigation over the statute's scope and the mitigation exception.
• The law modifies federal sentencing rules in Title 18 and does not alter trial standards of proof or state/tribal sentencing law.
• Courts will need to interpret what counts as an acquittal or dismissal under the new statutory definition.