list of mitigating factors (Illinois) · Go Syfert
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list of mitigating factors in Illinois

12 Illinois opinions name it 2 courts 2020–2026 9 in the last five years

The cases below were cited by Illinois courts in a sentence that names this issue. Sides come from how each citing opinion treated the case (Syfertize flag on that citation), so a case can appear on both: that is where the law is contested. A red or yellow chip is the case's own overall treatment.

Followed or applied (5)

CaseFollowedCited
People v. Brunnergreen
illappct · 2012 · cited in 4 Illinois opinions naming this issue, 2021–2025
2 sentences

2025Notably, “an abusive childhood [and] mental-health problems *** are not set forth in the list of mitigating factors in section 5-5-3.1(a) of the Unified Code that ‘shall be accorded weight in favor of withholding or minimizing a sentence of imprisonment.’ ” People v. Brunner, 2012 IL App (4th) 100708, ¶ 64 (quoting 730 ILCS 5/5-5-3.1(a) (West 2006)); see also People v. Holman, 2014 IL App (3d) 120905, ¶ 75 (A “trial court [is] not required to view [the] defendant’s history of mental health issues *** or [the] defendant’s troubled childhood as mitigating in nature.”).

2022See People v. Brunner, 2012 IL App (4th) 100708, ¶ 64 (“an abusive childhood, mental-health problems, and substance-abuse issues are not set forth in the list of mitigating factors in section 5-5-3.1(a)” of the Unified Code of Corrections). ¶ 42 Finally, defendant is correct that the trial court did not explicitly discuss the cost of incarcerating him.2 See 730 ILCS 5/5-4-1(a)(3) (West 2018) (requiring the sentencing court to 2 Defendant references a press release of the American Civil Liberties Union in support of this claim of sentencing error.

44
People v. Buffergreen
ill · 2019 · cited in 3 Illinois opinions naming this issue, 2021–2026
2 sentences

2026Id. at 483 . ¶ 69 After Miller, the General Assembly enacted section 5-4.5-105(a) (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016)), which contains a list of mitigating factors “taken from and *** consistent with Miller[ ].” Buffer, 2019 IL 122327, ¶ 36 .

2022Recently, in Jones v. Mississippi, 593 U.S. ___ , ___, 141 S. Ct. 1307, 1318 (2021), the Supreme Court explained the Montgomery decision did not require the sentencing court to make a separate factual finding of permanent incorrigibility to impose a discretionary life sentence. ¶ 29 After the Miller decision, the Illinois legislature enacted section 5-4.5-105 of the Unified Code (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016)), which contains a list of mitigating factors “taken from and *** consistent with Miller’s discussion of a juvenile defendant’s youth and its attendant characteristics.” People v. Buff

13
People v. Bakergreen
illappct · 1993 · cited in 1 Illinois opinions naming this issue, 2025–2025
1 sentence

2025Additionally, “[a]lthough the Illinois Constitution requires a court to consider a defendant’s rehabilitative -8- potential, it does not require the court to give greater weight to rehabilitation than to the seriousness of the offense.” People v. Baker, 241 Ill.

11
People v. Holmangreen
illappct · 2014 · cited in 1 Illinois opinions naming this issue, 2025–2025
1 sentence

2025Notably, “an abusive childhood [and] mental-health problems *** are not set forth in the list of mitigating factors in section 5-5-3.1(a) of the Unified Code that ‘shall be accorded weight in favor of withholding or minimizing a sentence of imprisonment.’ ” People v. Brunner, 2012 IL App (4th) 100708, ¶ 64 (quoting 730 ILCS 5/5-5-3.1(a) (West 2006)); see also People v. Holman, 2014 IL App (3d) 120905, ¶ 75 (A “trial court [is] not required to view [the] defendant’s history of mental health issues *** or [the] defendant’s troubled childhood as mitigating in nature.”).

11
Jones v. Mississippigreen
scotus · 2021 · cited in 1 Illinois opinions naming this issue, 2022–2022
1 sentence

2022Recently, in Jones v. Mississippi, 593 U.S. ___ , ___, 141 S. Ct. 1307, 1318 (2021), the Supreme Court explained the Montgomery decision did not require the sentencing court to make a separate factual finding of permanent incorrigibility to impose a discretionary life sentence. ¶ 29 After the Miller decision, the Illinois legislature enacted section 5-4.5-105 of the Unified Code (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016)), which contains a list of mitigating factors “taken from and *** consistent with Miller’s discussion of a juvenile defendant’s youth and its attendant characteristics.” People v. Buff

11

Distinguished, questioned or overruled (0)

CaseNegativeCited
No negative-treatment citations attached to this issue in Illinois. Read the followed side critically anyway.

Also cited on this issue (5)

CaseCitedYears
Atkins v. Virginia green
scotus · 2002
2 sentences

2023As we stated in Coty, however, “[p]resumably, our own legislature considered those intellectual deficits in adding ‘intellectually disabled’ to the list of mitigating factors to be considered at sentencing.” Id. ¶ 76 Here, defendant’s sentencing hearing included consideration of defendant’s mental disabilities as a mitigating factor, albeit in the context of a discretionary prison sentence, rather than capital punishment.

2020Id. at 320 . 9 Presumably, our own legislature considered those intellectual deficits in adding “intellectually disabled” to the list of mitigating factors to be considered in sentencing.

22020–2023
People v. Hunter green
ill · 2017
2 sentences

2020However, our supreme court has found that “the trial court’s obligation set forth in subsection (a)” to consider these additional factors is temporally limited by “language in that same subsection.” People v. Hunter, 2017 IL 121306, ¶ 48 ; People ex rel.

2020However, our supreme court has found that “the trial court’s obligation set forth in subsection (a)” to consider these additional factors is temporally limited by “language in that same subsection.” People v. Hunter, 2017 IL 121306, ¶ 48 ; People ex rel.

22020–2020
Ramirez v. Chicago Board of Election Commissioners green
illappct · 2020
2 sentences

2020Ramirez v. Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, 2020 IL App (1st) 200240, ¶ 11 . ¶ 152 Section 5-4.5-105(a) requires a trial court to consider an additional list of mitigating factors at a juvenile’s sentencing hearing. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016).

2020Ramirez v. Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, 2020 IL App (1st) 200240, ¶ 11 . ¶ 152 Section 5-4.5-105(a) requires a trial court to consider an additional list of mitigating factors at a juvenile’s sentencing hearing. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016).

22020–2020
Miller v. Alabama green
scotus · 2012
1 sentence

2026Id. at 483 . ¶ 69 After Miller, the General Assembly enacted section 5-4.5-105(a) (730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (West 2016)), which contains a list of mitigating factors “taken from and *** consistent with Miller[ ].” Buffer, 2019 IL 122327, ¶ 36 .

12026–2026
People v. Coty green
ill · 2020
1 sentence

2024Coty, 2020 IL 123972, ¶ 33 ; see Pub.

12024–2024

Statutes the citing opinions construe

IL § 725 ILCS 5/122-1 (6) IL § 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-105 (5) IL § 730 ILCS 5/5-5-3.1 (5) IL § 735 ILCS 5/2-1401 (4)

Counted by distinct opinions that both name this issue and are annotated to the section; sections every opinion cites regardless of issue are not filtered here, so read the counts against the total above.

Where else courts name it

CA 29 (1985–2021) IL 12 (2020–2026) WA 8 (2002–2021) FL 5 (1978–2025) KS 4 (1984–2009) MN 2 (1986–1988) VA 2 (1997–1997) NJ 2 (1991–1992) MD 2 (2018–2021)

Opinions by the citing court's state. A doctrine retained in one state and abandoned in another shows up here as a year span that stalls.

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