Nichols v. United States

511 U.S. 738 (1994)

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Nichols v. United States

United States Supreme Court
511 U.S. 738 (1994)

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Facts

Nichols (defendant) was convicted of a federal drug-related offense. He had previously been convicted of DUI, a state misdemeanor, and was forced to pay a fine, but was not given any jail time. Nichols was not represented by counsel at the DUI proceeding. The trial court used Nichols’s misdemeanor DUI conviction to enhance his sentence for the drug charge. Nichols appealed, arguing that his DUI conviction could not be used to enhance his sentence because the DUI conviction was uncounseled.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Rehnquist, C.J.)

Dissent (Blackmun, J.)

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