Right to Trial Act

Bill Number

H.R. 9095

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Crime and Law Enforcement

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-02: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-06-26T14:31:19Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose This legislation aims to safeguard the constitutional right to a trial by discouraging courts from imposing longer sentences on defendants who choose to go to trial rather than accept a plea offer.

Key provisions

• Amends 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) to add three new sentencing factors that judges must consider:
• The need to protect the right to trial, including by prohibiting any increased sentence based on a defendant's choice to reject a plea.
• In cases with codefendants or group conduct, the plea offers and sentences of similarly situated individuals; in other cases, plea agreements and sentences of similarly situated defendants.
• Whether a statutory minimum sentence would effectively penalize the exercise of the trial right, allowing a below-minimum sentence in such cases.
• Amends 18 U.S.C. § 3553(e) to explicitly authorize courts to impose sentences below any statutory minimum when necessary to protect the constitutional right to trial.

Significant changes to existing law The bill expands the list of mandatory sentencing considerations under § 3553(a) and broadens judicial discretion under § 3553(e) to deviate from statutory minimums specifically for trial-right protection. These additions directly address plea-related sentencing disparities that are not currently required factors.

Potential impacts

• Government agencies: Federal courts and the U.S. Sentencing Commission may need to revise sentencing guidelines and training to incorporate the new factors.
• Citizens: Defendants facing federal charges could receive more consistent treatment regardless of whether they plead guilty or proceed to trial.
• International relations: No direct effects are outlined in the legislation.

Main stakeholders affected

• Federal criminal defendants and their counsel.
• Federal judges and prosecutors.
• Codefendants or similarly situated individuals in multi-defendant cases.

Notable legal, constitutional, or political implications The bill explicitly ties sentencing decisions to the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial, creating a statutory mechanism to prevent what it describes as trial penalties. It does not alter plea bargaining practices themselves but requires judges to weigh them against constitutional protections when determining sentences.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-02: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2026-06-02: Introduced in House
• 2026-06-02: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Right to Trial Act — issued 2026-06-02 — PDF (3 pages)