Opinion ID: 201981
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Government Waiver

Text: 18 The U.S. Probation Office prepared and submitted to the parties a proposed presentence investigation report, which did not recommend application of § 2A6.2(b)(1)(D). The government stated that it had no objections to the recommendations made in the report. Robinson, however, registered a number of objections. The probation office revised the report in response to Robinson's objections, and submitted the revised version to the district court. In a memorandum submitted to the court only in response to the revised presentence report, the government for the first time asked the court to apply § 2A6.2(b)(1)(D). 19 Robinson argues that, because the government had an opportunity to ask the court to apply § 2A6.2(b)(1)(D) before submission of the revised report, and did not avail itself of that opportunity, the government waived any possible application of that guideline, and that the court was therefore wrong to apply it. The application of a particular guideline and imposition of a sentence are not, however, the government's to waive in a case, such as this one, where the defendant has pled guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement as to sentencing. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 11(c)(1)(C) & (c)(4). Robinson's argument supposes that the presentence report limits the sentence the court may impose, but that is simply not the case. The presentence report and the government's response to it are advisory, intended to help the district court arrive at an appropriate sentence. The responsibility, and with it the power, to recognize the applicable law and impose a sentence under it belong to the judge. See United States v. Miller, 116 F.3d 641, 685 (2d Cir.1997) ([T]he sentencing judge is not bound by the recommendations of the PSR. . . .); United States v. Gordon, 895 F.2d 932, 936 (4th Cir.1990) ([T]he decision of the district court on whether to apply a particular guideline is not controlled by the probation officer's recommendation.). The court was therefore free to impose a sentence under the Guidelines regardless of the recommendations in the presentence report or whether any objections to that report were raised by the government.