What does the South district docket plate read for FY2025?

South Carolina stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-MID · DISP-LONG · WITHIN-LOOSE · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-4TH at 71.0 mo across 591 USSC cases (upper-third caseload (> 506 cases)), ranking #54/88 by average sentence.

How does South compare on mix-adjusted disparity?

Mix-adjusted disparity was +6.8% in FY2025 (DISP-LONG) - 34% within guidelines, 62% below (mid below-guideline share (≤ 64%)).

Where does South sit among USSC districts?

#22 of 93 by FY2025 caseload (upper-third caseload (> 506 cases)); #54 of 88 by average sentence (mid-pack average (≤ 82 mo)).

Where does South 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 · South Carolina · FY2015–FY2025

South Carolina District

Name: Federal Sentencing Data - South Carolina District
Creator: PlainSentencing
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

591 federal cases in FY2025 - upper-third caseload (> 506 cases).

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

71.0
Avg months FY2025: above the national average; 591
Federal cases: 34%
Within guidelines: low guideline adherence; +6.8%
Disparity vs natl

South caseload fingerprint · FY2025

FY2025 put 591 defendants through South Carolina - upper-third caseload (> 506 cases). That volume means the FY table below is a dense national-scale book, not a thin sample. YoY caseload +20 vs FY2024. Case-row mean OL 5.1 (OL≥6 35%) ; 83% male / 11% non-citizen.

Mean CH: 0.91
Avg sentence: 71.0 mo
No prior (CH=0): 9%
Below GL: 62%

RSS updates

The verdict

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, South Carolina District ranks #22 of 93 by caseload (591 cases) and #54 of 88 districts with at least 100 cases by average sentence (71.0 months).

#22
Caseload of 93: #54
Avg sentence of 88: 71.0 months
This district avg FY2025: 591
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.

South USSC docket plate

BOOK-LIGHT Light book SENT-MID 71 mo avg DISP-LONG +6.8% long WITHIN-LOOSE 34% within RANK-MID #54/88 PHOTO-NEAR Near Western CIR-4TH 4th

FY2025: 591 cases at 71.0 mo average · #54/88 harshest-rank · mix-adjusted +6.8% (DISP-LONG). Nearest ABS peer: Western (0.0 mo).

Arizona

17.4
South

71
Western · near

71
Southern · near

71.3
Northern · near

71.5
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.

South FY2024→FY2025: -9.8 mo avg

South Carolina: FY2025 average 71.0 mo (-9.8 vs FY2024); caseload +20. Chart = avg vs guideline midpoint.

Year	Cases	Avg (mo)	Within GL	Above GL	Below GL
FY2025	591	71.0	34%	4%	62%
FY2024	571	80.8	37%	4%	59%
FY2023	644	78.1	29%	2%	69%
FY2022	602	78.8	35%	3%	62%
FY2021	531	68.2	38%	1%	61%
FY2020	575	63.0	42%	4%	54%
FY2019	1,058	64.9	53%	3%	44%
FY2018	966	71.9	56%	4%	40%
FY2017	709	73.2	57%	6%	37%
FY2016	627	65.5	53%	5%	41%
FY2015	642	65.2	51%	6%	43%

Top Offenses (FY2025)

1

Drug Trafficking

218 cases · 91.9 mo avg

2

Firearms

118 cases · 67.6 mo avg

3

Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

107 cases · 22.6 mo avg

4

Immigration

49 cases · 11.1 mo avg

5

Money Laundering

18 cases · 120.9 mo avg

6

Sexual Abuse

15 cases · 172.8 mo avg

7

Robbery

10 cases · 175.8 mo avg

8

Child Pornography

10 cases · 60.5 mo avg

9

Murder

7 cases · 135.1 mo avg

10

Tax

5 cases · 26.3 mo avg

Sentencing Disparity

+6.8%

vs. national average (FY2025)

Drug Trafficking

218
Firearms

118
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

107
Immigration

49
Money Laundering

18
Sexual Abuse

15
Robbery

10
Child Pornography

10
Murder

7
Tax

5

What this shows Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 218 of the cases sentenced in FY2025.

Nationwide districts with similar caseload or average sentence

High-volume South peer sets: FY2025 caseload nearest-neighbors and ABS(average sentence) peers among ≥100-case books - distinct from circuit geography.

Similar FY caseload

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(591 cases here).

Northern Illinois · 587 cases · 7th Circuit
Western Oklahoma · 584 cases · 10th Circuit
Eastern New York · 604 cases · 2nd Circuit
Northern Oklahoma · 564 cases · 10th Circuit

Similar average sentence

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(71.0 mo here; ≥100-case books).

Western Virginia · 71.0 mo avg · 248 cases
Southern Ohio · 71.3 mo avg · 560 cases
Northern Alabama · 71.5 mo avg · 516 cases
Wyoming · 71.8 mo avg · 181 cases

Read with South

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

Western · 71 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 71.0 mo (Δ 0.0 mo harsher vs South); 248 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Southern · 71 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 71.3 mo (Δ 0.3 mo harsher vs South); 560 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Northern · 72 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 71.5 mo (Δ 0.5 mo harsher vs South); 516 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Wyoming · 72 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 71.8 mo (Δ 0.8 mo harsher vs South); 181 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Disparity drill · DISP-LONG

South stamps DISP-LONG on mix-adjusted disparity - the disparity guide explains offense-mix vs judicial variation.

Drug · lead offense

Drug Trafficking led South at 218 cases (37% 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/.