Cited by

The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines prescribe a sentence or range of sentences that is “presumed to be appropriate.” Minn. Sent’g Guidelines 2.D.1 (2022); (citing this provision of the sentencing guidelines).

This court will “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” -08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

If a defendant requests a downward departure, a district court first must determine whether “‘mitigating circumstances are present’” and, if so, whether “those circumstances provide a ‘substantial[] and compelling’ reason not to impose a guidelines sentence.” (alteration in original) ( and Minn. Sent’g Guidelines 2.D.1).

-08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

Substantial and compelling circumstances are those “that distinguish a case and overcome the presumption in favor of a guidelines sentence.”

However, “[t]he use of an abuse-of-discretion standard in our review of sentencing decisions, while deferential, is not a limitless grant of power to the [district] court.” (quotation omitted).

“A sentencing court must pronounce a sentence within the applicable range unless there exist identifiable, substantial, and compelling circumstances that distinguish a case and overcome the presumption in favor of the guidelines sentence.” (quotation omitted).

We afford district courts “great discretion in the imposition of sentences.” (quotation omitted).

DECISION The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines prescribe a sentence or a range for the sentence that is “presumed to be appropriate.” (citation omitted).

Appellate courts “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” –08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

When reviewing a sentence, appellate courts “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” -08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines “prescrib[e] a sentence or range of sentences that is presumed to be appropriate.” (quotation omitted).

Appellate courts “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” -08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

d 303, 307-08 (Minn. 2014).

(quoting Minn. Sent’g Guidelines 2.D.1 (2012)).

The state argues that the district court’s decision “is supported by the record and is consistent with the wide discretion afforded to district courts.” The district court must impose a presumptive sentence unless “aggravating or mitigating circumstances are present, and those circumstances provide a substantial and compelling reason not to impose a guidelines sentence[.]” (quotations and citation omitted).

(credibility); Wenthe, d at 306 (evidentiary rulings); d 303, 307-08 (Minn. 2014) (sentencing); (jury instructions), rev. denied (Minn. July 21, 2015).

DECISION “A sentencing court must pronounce a sentence within the applicable range unless there exist identifiable, substantial, and compelling circumstances that distinguish a case and overcome the presumption in favor of the guidelines sentence.” (quotation omitted).

DECISION We “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” - 08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

A district court may exercise its discretion to depart from the presumptive guidelines range “only if aggravating or mitigating circumstances are present.” (quotation omitted).

District courts are afforded “great discretion in the imposition of sentences[.]” (quotation omitted).

The district court must impose a presumptive sentence unless “aggravating or mitigating circumstances are present, and those circumstances provide a substantial and compelling reason not to impose a guidelines sentence[.]” (quotations and citation omitted).

The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines permit a district court to depart from a presumptive sentence only if “identifiable, substantial, and compelling circumstances are present.” (quotations omitted).

The “sentencing court can exercise its discretion to depart from the guidelines only if aggravating or mitigating circumstances are present, and those circumstances provide a substantial and compelling reason not to impose a guidelines sentence.” (citations and quotations omitted).

8 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted); see also Minn. Sent’g Guidelines 2.D.1 (2022).

Appellate courts “afford the [district] court great discretion in the imposition of sentences and reverse sentencing decisions only for an abuse of that discretion.” -08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).

–08 (Minn. 2014) (quotation omitted).