Nichols v. United States, 511 U.S. 738 (1994), was a United States Supreme Court case that ruled that an uncounseled misdemeanor conviction, which resulted in a punishment other than imprisonment, can be used to enhance a sentence for a subsequent offense.[1]
| Nichols v. United States | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued January 10, 1994 Decided June 6, 1994 | |
| Full case name | Nichols v. United States |
| Citations | 511 U.S. 738 (more) |
| Holding | |
| A previous conviction for a misdemeanor offense where no counsel was present can be used to enhance a sentence for an offender's subsequent conviction as long as the misdemeanor did not result in imprisonment. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Rehnquist, joined by Thomas, O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy |
| Concurrence | Souter |
| Dissent | Blackmun, Ginsberg, joined by Stevens |
| Laws applied | |
| Sixth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment | |
References
editExternal links
edit- ^ Text of Staples v. United States, 511 U.S. 738 (1994) is available from: Cornell Findlaw Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)