United States v. Jorge Alberto Navarro

OPINION

TASHIMA., Circuit Judge:

In this appeal, we examine the scope of the United States Sentencing Commission’s (the “Commission”) authority to limit the retroactive effect of its amendments to its Sentencing Guidelines. We hold that a district court cannot apply a retroactive amendment to reduce an already imposed sentence prior to that amendment’s effective date. We also hold that the Commission’s determination of the appropriate effective date for a retroactive amendment is not invalid simply because the Commission made reference to prisoners’ rehabilitative needs. We therefore affirm.

I

A

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