Lewis v. United States
United States Supreme Court
518 U.S. 322 (1996)
Lewis (defendant) was charged with two counts of obstructing the mail, each carrying a maximum six-month sentence, and requested a jury trial; the government moved for a bench trial, and a federal magistrate judge denied the jury request, explaining she would not sentence Lewis to more than six months regardless of outcome. Lewis petitioned for Supreme Court review, arguing the Sixth Amendment entitled him to a jury trial because his combined potential exposure across both petty counts could exceed six months.
Whether the Sixth Amendment entitles a criminal defendant to a jury trial on petty offenses when conviction on multiple petty offenses could result in a sentence greater than six months in prison.