Opinion ID: 199710
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: We review district court departures under the Sentencing Guidelines for abuse of discretion. Koon v. United States, 518 U.S. 81, 96-100 (1996). This analysis has three parts. First, we -6- determine as a theoretical matter whether the stated ground for departure is permissible under the guidelines. If the ground is theoretically appropriate, we next examine whether it finds adequate factual support in the record. If so, we must probe the degree of the departure in order to verify its reasonableness.1 United States v. Dethlefs, 123 F.3d 39, 43-44 (1st Cir. 1997) (citations omitted). In employing this analysis, we recognize that [a] district court's decision to depart from the Guidelines . . . will in most cases be due substantial deference. Koon, 518 U.S. at 98.