---
title: "Imposition of a sentence of imprisonment"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 3582"
authority_id: "AUTH-USC-18-3582"
authority_type: "statute"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding_enacted_positive_law_title"
official_url: "https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/18/3582"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-USC-18-3582/"
legal_review: "2026-08-25"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# 18 U.S.C. § 3582

## Propositions supported

- Section 3582(b) supplies the finality rule and subsection (c) supplies three distinct modification doors.
- Subsection (c)(1)(A) supplies compassionate-release movants, filing gate, statutory findings, discretion, and relief authority.
- Subsection (c)(1)(B) permits modification to the extent another statute or Rule 35 expressly permits it.
- Subsection (c)(2) supplies the retroactive-guideline-amendment gate and incorporates applicable Commission policy.

## Material limitation

Each subsection must be applied separately. The statute does not resolve circuit-specific issue exhaustion, waiver, hearings, or standards of review. For a First Step Act § 404 motion, *Concepcion* treats subsection (c)(1)(B) as a gateway rather than an additional source of substantive or procedural limits.

## Official source

<https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/18/3582>


## Used in

- [First Step Act § 404 — Retroactive Fair Sentencing Act Relief](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/70-sentence-modification/first-step-act-section-404.md)
- [18 U.S.C. § 3582 — Sentence-Modification Remedy Router](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/70-sentence-modification/section-3582-remedy-router.md)
- [Rules 35 and 36 — Sentence Correction, Assistance, Record Error, and Appeals](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/70-sentence-modification/rules-35-36-and-modification-appeals.md)