District Sentencing

E.D. Mich. · AssaultFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Eastern District of Michigan

Assault in the Eastern District of Michigan

E.D. Mich. · Sixth Circuit · Assault nationally

The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.

15cases, FY2025106 over FY2018–FY2025
41median prison monthsnational, this offence: 46
48%within guideline rangenational 48%
89%cases with a prison termnational 91%

§ 1Length of prison terms

14%
<10
<10
11%
21%
18%
<10
<10
<10
<10
<10
median 41 mo
under 6 mo6–11 mo1–2 yr2–3 yr3–5 yr5–10 yr10–15 yr15–20 yr20–30 yr30 yr+life
Share of cases with a prison term, by length of the term (94 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: assault offences nationally.

Interquartile range 12–84 months; mean 69. <10 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Assault was the primary offence type in 106 cases sentenced in the Eastern District of Michigan between FY2018 and FY2025 (2% of the district's cases), with 15 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 41 months (3 yr 5 mo), close to the national median for assault offences (46 months) and shorter than the Sixth Circuit median (60). Half of prison terms fell between 12 and 84 months; 89% of cases carried a prison term.

48% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 48%); 13% were below the range on a government motion and 37% below it for other reasons.

FY2025 had fewer cases than FY2018 (15 against 19). The median prison term in FY2025 (42 months) was longer than in FY2018 (30 months).

These are aggregates of past cases. The guideline range for any case depends on its offence level, criminal history and statutory minimums, and the sentence on the court's findings; no figure here estimates an outcome.

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 48%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 13%Below range, other 37%Not determinable <10

§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation

MeasureE.D. Mich., assaultE.D. Mich., all offences6th Cir., assaultUS, assault
Cases per fiscal year1371850778
Share of district caseload1.8%100%——
Median prison months41366046
Mean prison months6960—73
Cases with a prison term89%94%89%91%
Within guideline range48%38%50%48%
Above range—1%3%8%
Below range, government sponsored13%17%22%22%
Below range, other37%44%25%22%
Median final offence level1819—20

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

19
19
13
10
12
<10
12
15
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Assault cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
30
60
46
44
30
<10
59
42
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
Fiscal yearCasesPrisonMedian monthsWithin rangeBelow, gov.Below, otherAbove
FY201819—3068%——0%
FY201919—60———0%
FY202013—46———0%
FY202110100%44————
FY202212—30———0%
FY2023<10fewer than 10 cases
FY202412100%59————
FY202515100%42———0%

§ 6Criminal history

Category I27% · 39%
Category II19% · 13%
Category III22% · 17%
Category IV10% · 11%
Category V10% · 8%
Category VI11% · 13%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: assault offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

Primary guidelines the Commission associates with this offence type, with the district's caseload under each across all offence types.

§ 8Questions and answers

What is the typical sentence for assault offences in the Eastern District of Michigan?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 41 months (3 yr 5 mo), with the middle half of terms between 12 and 84 months. 89% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for assault offences is 46 months.

How often are assault offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

13% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 37% below it for other reasons; 48% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, assault offences had a median prison term of 46 months and a within-range share of 48% over the same period. The district's figures are close to on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A2.2 and §2A2.3.

Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

§ 9Other offence types in the Eastern District of Michigan

§ 10Provenance

Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 4; district is CIRCDIST 39. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.