D.C. Code § 3-105
This is the official text of D.C. Code § 3-105, part of District of Columbia’s Code — part of the compiled statutory law of District of Columbia, published by the state as "Code." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 3-105. Voluntary sentencing guidelines.
Official statutory text
(a) The voluntary sentencing guidelines promulgated by the Commission shall not be binding on judges.
(b) Notwithstanding the guidelines, the judge in an individual case may impose any sentence that does not exceed the maximum term prescribed by law and is not otherwise prohibited by the Constitution or laws of the United States or the District of Columbia.
(c) The sentencing guidelines shall not create any legally enforceable rights in any party nor shall they diminish any rights that currently exist.
(d) The Commission shall not implement any changes in the basic structure of the voluntary sentencing guidelines without first informing the Council.
(b) Notwithstanding the guidelines, the judge in an individual case may impose any sentence that does not exceed the maximum term prescribed by law and is not otherwise prohibited by the Constitution or laws of the United States or the District of Columbia.
(c) The sentencing guidelines shall not create any legally enforceable rights in any party nor shall they diminish any rights that currently exist.
(d) The Commission shall not implement any changes in the basic structure of the voluntary sentencing guidelines without first informing the Council.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in District of Columbia?
Find a District of Columbia lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.