United States v. Shabani, 513 U.S. 10 (1994), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States clarified standards for conspiracy liability under a federal drug conspiracy statute.[1] In a unanimous opinion written by JusticeSandra Day O'Connor, the Court held that government prosecutors need not prove evidence of an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy when prosecuting individuals under the drug conspiracy statute codified at 21 U.S.C. § 846.[2] Justice O'Connor wrote that Congress intended to "adopt the common law definition" of conspiracy for section 846, which did not require an overt act as a precondition of liability.[3] Justice O'Connor's opinion also compared the drug conspiracy statute to the general conspiracy statute,[4] which requires that a conspirator commit an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy, noting that "[i]n light of this additional element in the general conspiracy statute, Congress' silence in § 846 speaks volumes."[5]
Convicted, conspiracy to distribute cocaine; conviction overturned, 993 F. 2d 1419 (9th Circuit, 1993)
Subsequent
9th Circuit Reversed by Supreme Court and conviction upheld
Holding
Absent contrary indications, Congress intends to adopt the common law definition of statutory terms. The common law understanding of conspiracy "does not make the doing of any act other than the act of conspiring a condition of liability."
united, states, shabani, 1994, case, which, supreme, court, united, states, clarified, standards, conspiracy, liability, under, federal, drug, conspiracy, statute, unanimous, opinion, written, justice, sandra, connor, court, held, that, government, prosecutors. United States v Shabani 513 U S 10 1994 was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States clarified standards for conspiracy liability under a federal drug conspiracy statute 1 In a unanimous opinion written by Justice Sandra Day O Connor the Court held that government prosecutors need not prove evidence of an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy when prosecuting individuals under the drug conspiracy statute codified at 21 U S C 846 2 Justice O Connor wrote that Congress intended to adopt the common law definition of conspiracy for section 846 which did not require an overt act as a precondition of liability 3 Justice O Connor s opinion also compared the drug conspiracy statute to the general conspiracy statute 4 which requires that a conspirator commit an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy noting that i n light of this additional element in the general conspiracy statute Congress silence in 846 speaks volumes 5 United States v ShabaniSupreme Court of the United StatesArgued October 3 1994Decided November 1 1994Full case nameUnited States Petitioner v Reshat ShabaniCitations513 U S 10 more 115 S Ct 382 130 L Ed 2d 225Case historyPriorConvicted conspiracy to distribute cocaine conviction overturned 993 F 2d 1419 9th Circuit 1993 Subsequent9th Circuit Reversed by Supreme Court and conviction upheldHoldingAbsent contrary indications Congress intends to adopt the common law definition of statutory terms The common law understanding of conspiracy does not make the doing of any act other than the act of conspiring a condition of liability Court membershipChief Justice William Rehnquist Associate Justices John P Stevens Sandra Day O ConnorAntonin Scalia Anthony KennedyDavid Souter Clarence ThomasRuth Bader Ginsburg Stephen BreyerCase opinionMajorityO Connor joined by unanimousLaws applied21 U S C 846See also editactus reus List of United States Supreme Court cases volume 513 List of United States Supreme Court cases Lists of United States Supreme Court cases by volume List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Rehnquist CourtReferences edit United States v Shabani 513 U S 10 11 1994 Shabani 513 U S at 13 17 Shabani 513 U S at 13 15 Codified at 18 U S C 371 Shabani 513 U S at 14 External links editText of United States v Shabani 513 U S 10 1994 is available from Findlaw Justia nbsp This article related to the Supreme Court of the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United States v Shabani amp oldid 1175151987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
