Not a fixed sentence handed down automatically, and not a promise that every judge will punish every case the same way. Sentencing guidelines are a structured set of rules courts use to decide the likely punishment after a criminal conviction, usually by looking at the seriousness of the offense and the defendant's criminal history. They create a recommended range or starting point for sentencing, but judges may sometimes depart from that range if the law allows and the facts support it.

In practice, these guidelines shape plea negotiations, trial strategy, and the risks tied to a conviction. A person deciding whether to accept a plea bargain will often want to know the guideline sentence first, because that number can drive the whole conversation. Prosecutors and defense lawyers both use it to estimate whether jail, prison, probation, or another outcome is likely. Like lane markings in a ground blizzard, they are there to guide the route even when the situation is messy.

In Minnesota, sentencing in felony cases is strongly influenced by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, issued by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission under Minnesota law. The court looks at the offense's severity level and the person's criminal history score to find the presumptive sentence. A departure may be possible, but it usually requires specific legal reasons. That can matter a great deal when charges involve serious bodily harm, a crash, or another incident that left someone injured.