Betterman v. Montana
United States Supreme Court
136 S. Ct. 1609 (2016)
Relevant factsFree
Betterman (defendant) pleaded guilty to bail jumping after missing a court date on a domestic-assault charge, then waited 14 months in jail for sentencing, largely due to routine institutional delays like preparing his presentence report and scheduling. He was eventually sentenced to seven years and appealed, arguing the delay before sentencing violated his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial.
IssueFree
Whether the Sixth Amendment's Speedy Trial Clause applies to the sentencing phase of a criminal proceeding.