Opinion ID: 614326
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Order of the Gunter Steps

Text: Friedman argues that the District Court erred procedurally by analyzing the Gunter steps out of order. The District Court began its sentencing procedures with the first Gunter step by discussing the disputed loss calculation. Before resolving what the loss or offense level was, the District Court conducted the second step of Gunter and discussed the departure motion. The District Court then returned to a discussion of step one by resolving two other guidelines disputes: whether Zanardelli was a high-level official and whether Friedman accepted responsibility for the crime. Next, the District Court engaged in a discussion of some of the § 3553(a) factors, the third step of Gunter, and then stated that it would impose something less than a Guidelines level of 22 before continuing its discussion of § 3553(a) factors. Finally, the District Court imposed a 34-month sentence, stating it was at an offense level of either 19 or 20. The Government concedes that the District Court should have completed its calculation of the Guidelines range prior to its § 3553(a) analysis, but contends that Friedman fails to show that the sentencing calculation was impacted by the order of analysis. The District Court in this matter strayed from our three step process in Gunter. District courts should consider the steps separately and sequentially. See United States v. Lofink, 564 F.3d 232, 242 (3d Cir.2009) (holding that it was not harmless error for the district court to consider a motion for a downward departure together with the § 3553(a) factors in the third step, rather than as a discrete second step of the process); United States v. Brown, 578 F.3d 221, 226-27 (3d Cir. 2009) (remanding to the district court for conflating the Gunter steps and failing to specify whether the below Guidelines range sentence was a result of a departure or a variance). Following the process set forth in Gunter ensures that the District Court's decision-making process is both logical and fair. Departure and variance motions logically cannot be determined until the district court knows what the Guidelines calculation is. Likewise, the § 3553(a) factors cannot be consulted until after departure and variance motions are completed. The fact that the District Court failed to adhere to this process inhibits our ability to review the sentence for reasonableness and thus requires remand.