Federal
Federal Criminal Courts are arguably the most intimidating and unforgiving courts that a person might find themselves in. If you have been indicted or have received a letter from the government identifying you as a target of an investigation, you need to obtain counsel immediately. Unlike a typical State Court case, the Federal system moves VERY quickly with most cases reaching a resolution in four months or less. It is imperative that you have qualified counsel to assist you every step of the way.
A case will usually start with the detention of a defendant or an indictment. You may find yourself subject to a detention hearing and a probable cause hearing where it will be determined whether or not you qualify for pre-trial release under any number of conditions. At these hearings, your attorney will also have the opportunity to ask some preliminary questions to determine whether or not the Government has met the minimum threshold to charge you with a crime.
Within a month, you will be arraigned and a trial date will be set. You will be given the opportunity to plead guilty or to plead not guilty and continue to trial. If you choose to go to trial, a jury will decide the facts and determine whether or not you are guilty or not guilty. If you are found not guilty, your case is of course over. If you are found guilty or plead guilty, you will meet with an officer who will prepare what is called a sentencing report.
The sentencing report is prepared for the court in order to assist the judge in determining what a fair and legal sentence would be taking into account numerous factors. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are VERY difficult to understand and to get through. We provide a link to the Sentencing Guidelines on this site as a point of reference only. You should not attempt to interpret or determine yours or anyone else's sentence without consulting with an attorney qualified to practice Federal Criminal Law.
Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Link to all Amendments and Updates to Current Federal Sentencing Guidelines
