Between joining the Court in 2006 and the end of 2019, Chief Justice Burke has participated in 54 criminal sentencing cases.  She has supported defendants’ position in 20 of those cases and voted against defendants 34 times.  Between 2006 and 2009, she voted for defendants in 6 of 16 cases.  From 2010 to 2014, she voted for defendants in 8 of 25 cases.  From 2015 to 2019, she voted for defendants in 6 of 13 cases.

Twenty-four of those criminal sentencing cases were won by the defendants below.  Chief Justice Burke voted to affirm nine of those decisions and voted to reverse, in whole or in part, 15 times.  From 2006 to 2009, she voted to affirm only two of seven decisions.  From 2010 to 2014, she voted to affirm four of ten decisions.  From 2015 to 2019, she voted to affirm in three of seven cases.

Twenty-five criminal sentencing cases were lost by defendants below.  Chief Justice Burke has voted to reverse 11 of those decisions and to affirm in 14 cases.  From 2006 to 2009, she voted to reverse four of nine decisions.  From 2010 to 2014, she voted to reverse four times in 12 cases.  From 2015 to 2019, she voted to reverse, in whole or in part, three times in four cases.

Join us back here next week as we review the voting records for the remaining Justices.

Image courtesy of Flickr by George Lu (no changes).