Unlawful Distribution of Opioids Blog | Federal Criminal Defense

Curtailing Judicial Discretion – Federal Sentencing (Part Two)

The guideline range is the starting point for sentencing a criminal defendant. However, there are multiple avenues at a defense attorneys disposal to argue for a sentence below the recommended range. This article examines the commonly used tactics to get the least severe sentence for a federal client.

Curtailing Judicial Discretion – Federal Sentencing (Part One)

In 1987, the United States Congress passed the first sentencing guidelines to end the sentencing disparity seen throughout the federal system. These guidelines stripped the district court of most of their discretion in sentencing federal criminal defendants. This post looks at the 2016 Sentencing Guidelines with a focus on criminal tax and child pornography cases.