Alaska Child Pornography Defense Lawyers
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Sentencing in federal criminal cases can be extremely complex, with judges relying heavily on Federal Sentencing Guidelines to determine appropriate sentences. As a defendant facing federal charges, having an experienced federal defense sentencing lawyer on your side is critical to advocating for the most favorable outcome possible.
Overview of Federal Sentencing Process
In most federal cases, sentencing works as follows:
- The probation department will conduct a presentence investigation after a guilty plea or conviction at trial. This involves examining the defendant’s background, criminal history, role in the offense, acceptance of responsibility, and other factors.
- A presentence report is then prepared with guideline calculations, providing a recommended sentencing range based on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. This is advisory but judges give it heavy weight.
- Defense sentencing lawyers can object to any erroneous facts or guideline applications in the report and argue for variances based on the defendant’s personal circumstances.
- At the sentencing hearing, the judge will make a final guideline calculation and determine the sentence, which may vary outside the guidelines at the judge’s discretion.
It’s a complex process with many moving parts, where an experienced federal defense lawyer’s advocacy can have a huge influence on the outcome.
How Federal Sentencing Guidelines Are Calculated
The Federal Sentencing Guidelines establish a formula to calculate a recommended sentencing range based on the offense committed and the defendant‘s criminal history:
- Each federal offense starts with a base offense level – for example, fraud has a base level of 7, theft has a base level of 4.
- The offense level is then increased or decreased based on specific offense characteristics – the amount of loss or drugs, use of weapons, leadership role, etc. This leads to adjustments up or down from the base.
- Additional adjustments may apply for obstructing justice, acceptance of responsibility, aiding law enforcement, etc.
- The total offense level crosses with the defendant’s criminal history category on the Sentencing Table to produce a sentencing range in months.
- For example, an offense level 15 and criminal history I has a range of 18-24 months. An offense level 31 and criminal history VI has a range of 188-235 months.
As you can see, the adjustments and enhancements make a huge difference – that’s where skilled advocacy comes into play.
Arguing for Variances and Departures
While judges use the guidelines as an anchor, the Supreme Court has held they are advisory. Defense lawyers have opportunities to argue for “variances” and “departures”:
Variances involve arguing for an outside-guidelines sentence based on the 18 USC 3553(a) sentencing factors – the defendant’s history, characteristics, remorse, rehabilitation potential, etc. These allow for a sentence below or above the guidelines.
Departures involve arguing the case is outside the “heartland” the guidelines were intended to cover based on unusual circumstances, often through 5K motions. These also allow for up or down deviations from the guidelines.According to one federal sentencing expert:
“A thoughtful sentencing memorandum brief outlining the weaknesses of the guidelines as applied to your client and highlighting your client’s redeeming qualities can convince a judge to significantly vary or depart from the guidelines.”
In other words, skilled advocacy makes a major difference.
Key Roles for Federal Defense Sentencing Lawyers
Effective federal defense sentencing lawyers take on many important roles and responsibilities:
Sentencing Mitigation Investigation – Conducting a thorough background investigation of the defendant‘s history and circumstances that can support variances and departures.
Advising Clients on Options – Explaining the guidelines calculations and potential sentencing outcomes to ensure fully informed decision-making by the defendant. This includes candidly discussing risks at trial versus plea deals.
Negotiating with Government – Negotiating plea agreements and cooperating to get government support for reduced sentencing recommendations.
Objecting to Presentence Reports – Identifying and objecting to any erroneous facts or guideline applications in the presentence report that may negatively impact sentencing.
Drafting Sentencing Memorandums – Preparing well-researched and persuasive sentencing memorandums highlighting grounds for variances and departures.
Evidence and Witness Preparation – Gathering testimony, records, documentation, and other evidence to use at the sentencing hearing to advocate for the defendant.
Sentencing Hearing Advocacy – Arguing to the judge for the most lenient reasonable sentence based on the defendant‘s personal circumstances.Having an experienced federal defense lawyer handle these aspects of sentencing can make an enormous difference in the outcome. The guidelines may anchor the judge‘s thinking, but skilled advocacy allows plenty of room for variances and departures.