In their latest Law 360 article titled “New Guidance on Guilty Plea Withdrawals Long Past Due,” Mark Allenbaugh and Alan Ellis delve into the critical need for updated guidelines on guilty plea withdrawals. As we near the 40th anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act, this issue is increasingly relevant. The authors highlight a significant blind spot in the current guidelines, emphasizing that while much attention is given to plea agreement procedures, there is a notable absence of guidance on the withdrawal of guilty pleas.

Mark Allenbaugh, leveraging SentencingStats.com’s AI-driven platform, provides data-driven insights into how the current lack of guidance leads to sentencing disparities and undermines the goals of the Sentencing Reform Act. The article underscores the importance of establishing clear rules to ensure uniformity and fairness in the federal sentencing process. By utilizing advanced analytics, Mark showcases the crucial role of data science in identifying and addressing gaps in the legal system, advocating for much-needed reforms to support justice and equity.

As a courtesy, we’ve made this article available for free to our community, no paywall.