What does the Western district docket plate read for FY2025?

Western North Carolina stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-LONG · WITHIN-MID · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-4TH at 83.9 mo (longer-third average (> 82 mo)) across 352 USSC cases, ranking #25/88 by average sentence.

How does Western compare on mix-adjusted disparity?

Mix-adjusted disparity was +21.3% in FY2025 (DISP-LONG) - 46% within guidelines, 50% below (mid below-guideline share (≤ 64%)).

Where does Western sit among USSC districts?

#54 of 93 by FY2025 caseload (middle-third caseload (≤ 506 cases)); #25 of 88 by average sentence (longer-third average (> 82 mo)).

Where does Western 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 · North Carolina · FY2015–FY2025

Western North Carolina District

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

Average imposed sentence 83.9 mo in FY2025 - longer-third average (> 82 mo) among 88 districts (≥100 cases).

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

83.9
Avg months FY2025: well above the national average; 352
Federal cases: 46%
Within guidelines: typical guideline adherence; +21.3%
Disparity vs natl

RSS updates

The verdict

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Western North Carolina District ranks #54 of 93 by caseload (352 cases) and #25 of 88 districts with at least 100 cases by average sentence (83.9 months).

#54
Caseload of 93: #25
Avg sentence of 88: 83.9 months
This district avg FY2025: 352
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.

Western USSC docket plate

BOOK-LIGHT Light book SENT-LONG 84 mo avg DISP-LONG +21.3% long WITHIN-MID 46% within RANK-MID #25/88 PHOTO-NEAR Near Middle CIR-4TH 4th

FY2025: 352 cases at 83.9 mo average · #25/88 harshest-rank · mix-adjusted +21.3% (DISP-LONG). Nearest ABS peer: Middle (+0.5 mo).

Arizona

17.4
Southern · near

83.4
Western

83.9
Middle · near

84.4
Eastern · near

84.5
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.

Western FY2024→FY2025: -0.6 mo avg

Western North Carolina: FY2025 average 83.9 mo (-0.6 vs FY2024); caseload +47. Chart = avg vs guideline midpoint.

Year	Cases	Avg (mo)	Within GL	Above GL	Below GL
FY2025	352	83.9	46%	5%	50%
FY2024	305	84.5	47%	5%	49%
FY2023	362	89.9	43%	4%	53%
FY2022	553	88.4	52%	7%	41%
FY2021	502	86.3	50%	4%	46%
FY2020	513	79.4	51%	4%	45%
FY2019	538	68.2	53%	4%	42%
FY2018	566	75.1	55%	4%	40%
FY2017	555	77.7	51%	3%	46%
FY2016	658	66.8	49%	3%	48%
FY2015	693	70.0	48%	2%	49%

Top Offenses (FY2025)

1

Firearms

112 cases · 53.6 mo avg

2

Drug Trafficking

88 cases · 119.4 mo avg

3

Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

55 cases · 41.7 mo avg

4

Immigration

24 cases · 6.6 mo avg

5

Child Pornography

17 cases · 123.5 mo avg

6

Robbery

11 cases · 144.8 mo avg

7

Tax

8 cases · 39.0 mo avg

8

Sexual Abuse

8 cases · 283.8 mo avg

9

Assault

7 cases · 118.3 mo avg

10

Money Laundering

6 cases · 73.8 mo avg

Sentencing Disparity

+21.3%

vs. national average (FY2025)

Firearms

112
Drug Trafficking

88
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement

55
Immigration

24
Child Pornography

17
Robbery

11
Tax

8
Sexual Abuse

8
Assault

7
Money Laundering

6

What this shows Firearms was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 112 of the cases sentenced in FY2025.

Nationwide districts with similar caseload or average sentence

Two peer sets for Western North Carolina: FY2025 federal caseload volume and average imposed sentence, distinct from same-circuit neighbors.

Similar FY caseload

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(352 cases here).

Southern Indiana · 356 cases · 7th Circuit
Middle Tennessee · 346 cases · 6th Circuit
Western Washington · 346 cases · 9th Circuit
Southern Iowa · 343 cases · 8th Circuit

Similar average sentence

Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(83.9 mo here; ≥100-case books).

Middle Georgia · 84.4 mo avg · 405 cases
Southern Georgia · 83.4 mo avg · 272 cases
Eastern Louisiana · 84.5 mo avg · 324 cases
Eastern Arkansas · 83.3 mo avg · 475 cases

Read with Western

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

Middle · 84 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 84.4 mo (Δ 0.5 mo harsher vs Western); 405 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Southern · 83 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 83.4 mo (Δ 0.5 mo lenient vs Western); 272 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Eastern · 85 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 84.5 mo (Δ 0.6 mo harsher vs Western); 324 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Eastern · 83 mo

ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 83.3 mo (Δ 0.6 mo lenient vs Western); 475 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.

Disparity drill · DISP-LONG

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

Firearms · lead offense

Firearms led Western at 112 cases (32% 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/.