The Law Mind

Procedures Implementing Sentencing Guidelines

E.D.N.C. Rule 32.2

(a) Scheduling of Sentencing. Sentencing proceedings shall be scheduled by the court at the time of adjudication of guilt, to be heard not earlier than 60 days following the adjudication of guilt. (b) Time for Completion of Presentence Report. No later than 35 days prior to sentencing, the probation officer shall complete and disclose the presentence investigation report to the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, and the attorney for the government. (c) Time for Filing Objections to Presentence Report. Within 14 days after disclosure of the presentence investigation report, the parties shall file, in CM/ECF (access restricted to the court, the probation office, attorneys of record for the government and for the relevant defendant), objection(s) to the presentence report including material information, sentencing classifications, guideline ranges, and policy statements contained in or omitted from the report. Alternatively, absent objections, the filed response shall affirmatively state there no objections to the report. The court may conduct a show cause hearing and/or disallow objections in any case where such objections are not timely filed. (d) Procedure for Resolving Objections to Presentence Report. After receiving objections from the parties, the probation officer shall conduct such further investigation as may be necessary. The probation officer shall confer with the p a r t i e s to discuss and attempt to resolve contested issues. Thereafter, the probation officer shall make such revisions to the presentence investigation report as the probation officer deems appropriate. Unresolved contested issues, including a summary May 2023 Return to Table of Contents Local Criminal Rules – U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Page 20 of the grounds for the objections, and the probation officer’s comments on them, shall be contained in an addendum to the presentence investigation report. The defendant and the government may each file a memorandum with the court explaining their respective positions on the unresolved objections. Any such memorandum must be served on t h e opposing party and the probation office. (e) Time for Filing Revised Presentence Report. The revised presentence investigation report and addendum shall be disclosed to the judge, the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, and the attorney for the government not later than 7 days prior to the sentencing hearing. The probation officer’s sentencing recommendation shall be disclosed only to the judge. In the case of a juvenile, a disposition hearing must be held no later than 21 court days after the juvenile delinquency hearing subject to enumerated exceptions (18 U.S.C. § 5037(a)); therefore, the Local Criminal Rules with respect to time periods for disclosure of the presentence report do not apply. (f) Expedited Procedures where Defendant Detained. If it appears that a defendant may be detained pending trial and sentencing for a period of time exceeding the sentence likely to be imposed under the guidelines, the court, upon motion by the defendant at the time of adjudication of guilt, may direct the probation office to expedite the sentencing timetable. (g) Court Acceptance of Presentence Report. The revised presentence investigation report may be accepted by the court as accurate except as to matters set forth in the addendum which shall be resolved as provided in Section 6Al.3 of the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines Manual. (h) Service of Presentence Report. The presentence investigation report shall be deemed to have been disclosed upon filing the report in CM/ECF, or service, personally or via United States mail, on an unrepresented defendant. Disclosure of the presentence investigation report (and any subsequent revisions and addenda thereto) to the defendant’s attorney is deemed to be disclosed to the defendant. The defendant’s attorney must review the report with the defendant forthwith. May 2023 Return to Table of Contents Local Criminal Rules – U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Page 21 (i) Procedure at Sentencing. Before final judgment is entered in a case, the court shall disclose to the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, and the attorney for the government, the court’s tentative findings of fact and interpretation of applicable guidelines and shall afford the parties an opportunity to object to said tentative findings of fact and interpretation of the guidelines. (j) Receipt of Presentence Report Under Seal. The final presentence investigation report, addendum, and probation officer’s recommendation shall be f i l e d i n C M / E C F under seal and shall be otherwise disclosed only upon order. Defendants and their attorneys may retain their copies of the presentence investigation report and addendum. In the event of post- sentencing proceedings, including appeal, habeas corpus application, or motion for modification or revocation of probation or supervised release, attorneys of record may, upon request, be provided a copy of the presentence report by the probation office. (k) Role of the Defendant’s Attorney in Presentence Investigation. Upon adjudication of guilt, the probation officer will initiate the presentence investigative process. The defendant’s attorney shall advise the probation officer attending court whether or not the defendant will submit to an interview with the officer and whether or not the attorney desires to be present at the interview. The attorney, if attending, and the defendant shall make themselves available for the interview within 14 calendar days of adjudication. (l) Disclosure of Presentence Report to Expert Witnesses and Agents. The parties may provide a copy of the presentence report to expert witnesses and agents. The parties are responsible for recovering the report at or prior to sentencing. In the case of a juvenile no information, including the presentence report, may be released except pursuant to a court order. May 2023 Return to Table of Contents Local Criminal Rules – U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Page 22
Official source: https://www.nced.uscourts.gov/pdfs/Local%20Civil%20Rules%202023.pdf · retrieved 2026-07-23