Federal Register Notice Seeking First Circuit Applications for 2025 Practitioners Advisory Group

UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION

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Requests for Applications; Practitioners Advisory Group

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The United States Sentencing Commission is issuing this notice to advise the public that the application period for membership for the First Circuit in the Practitioners Advisory Group has been extended to December 2, 2024. The deadline was originally October 14, 2024. An applicant for voting membership for the First Circuit of the Practitioners Advisory Group should apply by sending a letter of interest and resume to the Commission as indicated in the ADDRESSES section below.

DATES: Application materials for voting membership of the Practitioners Advisory Group should be received not later than December 2, 2024.

ADDRESSES: An applicant for voting membership of the Practitioners Advisory Group should apply by sending a letter of interest and resume to the Commission by electronic mail or regular mail. The email address is pubaffairs@ussc.gov. The regular mail address is United States Sentencing Commission, One Columbus Circle, NE, Suite 2-500, South Lobby, Washington, DC 20002-8002, Attention: Public Affairs – PAG Membership.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Dukes, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, (202) 502-4597. More information about the Practitioners Advisory Group is available on the Commission’s website.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Sentencing Commission is an independent agency in the judicial branch of the United States Government. The Commission promulgates sentencing guidelines and policy statements for federal courts pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(a). The Commission also periodically reviews and revises previously promulgated guidelines pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(o) and submits guideline amendments to the Congress not later than the first day of May each year pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(p).

The Practitioners Advisory Group is a standing advisory group of the United States Sentencing Commission established pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 995 and Rule 5.4 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. Under the charter for the advisory group, the purpose of the advisory group is (1) to assist the Commission in carrying out its statutory responsibilities under 28 U.S.C. 994(o); (2) to provide to the Commission its views on the Commission’s activities and work, including proposed priorities and amendments; (3) to disseminate to defense attorneys, and to other professionals in the defense community, information regarding federal sentencing issues; and (4) to perform other related functions as the Commission requests. The advisory group consists of not more than 17 voting members, each of whom may serve not more than two consecutive three-year terms. Of those 17 voting members, one shall be Chair, one shall be Vice Chair, 12 shall be circuit members (one for each federal judicial circuit other than the Federal Circuit), and three shall be at-large members.

To be eligible to serve as a voting member, an individual must be an attorney who (1) devotes a substantial portion of his or her professional work to advocating the interests of privately-represented individuals, or of individuals represented by private practitioners through appointment under the Criminal Justice Act of 1964, within the federal criminal justice system; (2) has significant experience with federal sentencing or post-conviction issues related to criminal sentences; and (3) is in good standing of the highest court of the jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which he or she is admitted to practice. Additionally, to be eligible to serve as a circuit member, the individual’s primary place of business or a substantial portion of his or her practice must be in the circuit concerned. Each voting member is appointed by the Commission.

The Commission issued a notice inviting eligible individuals to apply for membership of the Practitioners Advisory Group on August 14, 2024 (see 89 FR 66178) in view of vacancies in two circuit memberships (for the First and Eleventh Circuits) and one at-large membership. The deadline was originally October 14, 2024, but is now extended to December 2, 2024, for individuals applying for the First Circuit membership of the Practitioners Advisory Group. This application period is extended to ensure sufficient time for any eligible individual to apply. An applicant for voting membership for the First Circuit of the Practitioners Advisory Group should apply by sending a letter of interest and a resume to the Commission as indicated in the ADDRESSES section above.

AUTHORITY: 28 U.S.C. 994(a), (o), (p), 995; USSC Rules of Practice and Procedure 2.2(c), 5.4.

 

Carlton W. Reeves,

Chair.

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