Title 21 — Food and DrugsRelease 119-73
§850 Information for sentencing
Title 21 › Chapter CHAPTER 13— - DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT › Part Part D— - Offenses and Penalties › § 850
Summary
A federal court can use any information about a convicted person's past, character, or actions when setting a sentence, unless other parts of this law or another federal law limit that.
Full Legal Text
Title 21, §850
Food and Drugs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter or section 242a(a) 11 See References in Text note below. of title 42, no limitation shall be placed on the information concerning the background, character, and conduct of a person convicted of an offense which a court of the United States may receive and consider for the purpose of imposing an appropriate sentence under this subchapter or subchapter II.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 242a of title 42, referred to in text, was repealed by Pub. L. 106–310, div. B, title XXXII, § 3201(b)(1), Oct. 17, 2000, 114 Stat. 1190.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective on first day of seventh calendar month that begins after Oct. 26, 1970, see section 704 of Pub. L. 91–513, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
21 U.S.C. § 850
Title 21 — Food and Drugs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73