According to "The New York Times", Stewart "acknowledged ... that she knowingly violated prison rules". She requested that the Court exercise the sentencing discretion given judges by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in "U.S. v. Booker", and impose a non-custodial sentence. The prosecution requested that the Court impose the maximum statutory penalty, saying, "We hope that this sentence of 30 years will not only punish Stewart for her actions, but serve as a deterrent for other lawyers who believe that they are above the rules and regulations of penal institutions or otherwise try to skirt the laws of this country."