What does the Northern district docket plate read for FY2025?

Northern West Virginia stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-SHORT · WITHIN-TIGHT · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-4TH at 76.8 mo across 326 USSC cases (lower-third caseload (≤ 335 cases)), ranking #40/88 by average sentence.

How does Northern compare on mix-adjusted disparity?

Mix-adjusted disparity was -7.1% in FY2025 (DISP-SHORT) - 59% within guidelines, 38% below (rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%)).

Where does Northern sit among USSC districts?

#60 of 93 by FY2025 caseload (lower-third caseload (≤ 335 cases)); #40 of 88 by average sentence (mid-pack average (≤ 82 mo)).

Where does Northern sentencing data come from?

USSC Individual Offender Datafiles FY2015–FY2025. The docket plate uses the same FY2025 corpus ranks as /rankings/; see /methodology/#corpus-placement.

4th Circuit · West Virginia · FY2015–FY2025

Northern West Virginia District

Name: Federal Sentencing Data - Northern West Virginia District
Creator: PlainSentencing
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

38% of classifiable Northern West Virginia sentences landed below the guideline range - rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%).

Compiled by PlainSentencing, Federal Sentencing Data Publishing · August 30, 2026

76.8
Avg months FY2025: above the national average; 326
Federal cases: 59%
Within guidelines: typical guideline adherence; -7.1%
Disparity vs natl

Below-guideline book · Northern FY2025

38% of classifiable outcomes landed below the guideline range (rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%)). Case-level mean CH 0.97 (3% no prior) ; defendants 75% male / 25% female / 3% non-citizen. Mean OL 5.0 on 326 rows, departure share is the signature, not volume.

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The verdict

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Northern West Virginia District ranks #60 of 93 by caseload (326 cases) and #40 of 88 districts with at least 100 cases by average sentence (76.8 months).

#60
Caseload of 93: #40
Avg sentence of 88: 76.8 months
This district avg FY2025: 326
This district cases FY2025

Caseload rank covers every district with at least one FY case. Average-sentence rank covers districts with at least 100 cases so a thin docket cannot top the list. Offense ranks cover the 30 published guideline types. Averages follow offense mix, not court character.

Northern USSC docket plate

BOOK-LIGHT Light book SENT-LONG 77 mo avg DISP-SHORT -7.1% short WITHIN-TIGHT 59% within RANK-MID #40/88 PHOTO-NEAR Near Northern CIR-4TH 4th

FY2025: 326 cases at 76.8 mo average · #40/88 harshest-rank · mix-adjusted -7.1% (DISP-SHORT). Nearest ABS peer: Northern (-0.2 mo).

Arizona

17.4
Northern · near

76.6
Northern

76.8
Southern · near

77.1
Eastern · near

77.5
Southern

129.3

For educational and research purposes only. This page summarizes historical USSC sentencing statistics, not a prediction for any individual case, sentencing depends on many case-specific factors. Consult a licensed criminal defense attorney for guidance on a specific matter.

Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025. · Methodology and data dictionary.

Northern FY2024→FY2025: +7.1 mo avg

Northern West Virginia: FY2025 average 76.8 mo (+7.1 vs FY2024); caseload -20. Chart = avg vs guideline midpoint.

Year	Cases	Avg (mo)	Within GL	Above GL	Below GL
FY2025	326	76.8	59%	4%	38%
FY2024	346	69.7	63%	5%	32%
FY2023	310	70.7	56%	8%	36%
FY2022	323	66.2	66%	3%	31%
FY2021	250	64.4	61%	3%	36%
FY2020	235	60.8	62%	2%	36%
FY2019	282	58.6	70%	4%	26%
FY2018	262	48.3	68%	3%	29%
FY2017	235	40.9	63%	5%	32%
FY2016	310	41.9	63%	3%	33%
FY2015	419	39.3	63%	1%	36%

Top Offenses (FY2025)

1

Drug Trafficking

215 cases · 93.1 mo avg

2

Firearms

40 cases · 45.9 mo avg

3

Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

19 cases · 22.9 mo avg

6 cases · 187.5 mo avg

6

Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses

6 cases · 47.6 mo avg

7

Assault

6 cases · 24.7 mo avg

4 cases · 146.0 mo avg

10

Money Laundering

3 cases · 23.3 mo avg

Sentencing Disparity

-7.1%

vs. national average (FY2025)

Drug Trafficking

215
Firearms

40
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

19
Prison Offenses

8
Sexual Abuse

6
Obscenity/Other Sex

6
Assault

6
Immigration

4
Child Pornography

4
Money Laundering

3

What this shows Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 215 of the cases sentenced in FY2025.

Nationwide districts with similar caseload or average sentence

Sparse-book Northern peer sets: FY2025 caseload nearest-neighbors and ABS(average sentence) peers - volume matches matter more when the local book is thin.

Similar FY caseload

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(326 cases here).

North Dakota · 325 cases · 8th Circuit
Eastern Louisiana · 324 cases · 5th Circuit
Eastern Washington · 335 cases · 9th Circuit
Northern Iowa · 313 cases · 8th Circuit

Similar average sentence

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(76.8 mo here; ≥100-case books).

Northern Ohio · 76.6 mo avg · 662 cases
Southern Mississippi · 77.1 mo avg · 378 cases
Eastern Pennsylvania · 77.5 mo avg · 477 cases
Eastern Washington · 77.8 mo avg · 335 cases

Read with Northern

ABS(avg_sentence) peers first, then a stamp-branched guide - not a fixed three-guide strip. This sheet stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-SHORT · WITHIN-TIGHT · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-4TH.

Northern · 77 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 76.6 mo (Δ 0.2 mo lenient vs Northern); 662 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Southern · 77 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 77.1 mo (Δ 0.3 mo harsher vs Northern); 378 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Eastern · 78 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 77.5 mo (Δ 0.7 mo harsher vs Northern); 477 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Eastern · 78 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 77.8 mo (Δ 1.0 mo harsher vs Northern); 335 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Plea motion · 38% below GL

Northern stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-SHORT · WITHIN-TIGHT · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-4TH - the reading guide shows how to interpret USSC averages without conflating mix and severity.

Drug · lead offense

Drug Trafficking led Northern at 215 cases (66% of the FY2025 book) - offense-specific averages differ from the district headline.

All Districts District Rankings

Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025.

Source: USSC public-use extracts rendered by PlainSentencing; methodology at /methodology/.