Washington Legal Defense
Free Consultation
Sentencing in Federal Court - Know What to Expect Get 150+ Years of Combined Litigation Experience on Your Side
Judge with a gavel

Sentencing in Federal Court - Know What to Expect

When facing a federal criminal charge the best outcome is to have the case dismissed. The second best outcome is to be found not guilty by a jury. However, if someone is convicted of a federal charge, they will then be sentenced by the judge – meaning the judge will decide how long that person will be incarcerated. In federal court, in many cases, judges have little flexibility in the sentences that they hand out. Here’s what you can expect.

Federal crimes are governed by federal sentencing guidelines. These are calculations that judges use to determine the sentence for a federal crime. While these can be complicated, there are two main factors that can help you prepare for the type of sentence you might be facing. Those factors are: seriousness of the crime and your prior criminal history.

Seriousness of the Crime

Each federal crime is assigned to one of the 43 categories of crimes. The less serious the offense, the lower the category number. For example, premeditated murder has a base level of 43, the highest-level offense. Burglary of a residence, however, is a base level of 17. Once the base level has been determined, the judge may adjust the offense level, either higher or lower, depending on the specific facts of the case and any adjustments that may apply. Some of these factors include how much property is stolen, whether a firearm was displayed or discharged, the level of participation of the defendant and many others. If you are facing a federal sentence, make sure your attorney has all of the relevant facts – there may be significant factors that could lead to a reduction of the sentence.


Criminal History

In addition to the seriousness of the crime, the judge will look at your criminal history. Criminal histories are broken down into 6 categories based on sentence length for past crimes and how recent those crimes were. Those with minimal or no criminal history will be placed in Category I and those will the most extensive will be placed in Category VI.


Calculating the Sentence

Once the court has determined the seriousness of the crime and the relevant criminal history, the court will determine the sentencing range based on where those two numbers intersect on the sentencing guidelines chart. The judge can, however, increase or decrease the sentence from this point. If there are aggravating factors, the judge can increase the sentence. Similarly, if there are mitigating factors, the judge can decrease the sentence. Again, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to make sure your attorney has all of the information to fight for the lowest possible sentence.

We know that being charged with a federal crime, or any crime for that matter, can be overwhelming and scary. We are here to walk you through the process and help you understand what to expect at each step of the way. If you are facing a criminal charge, give us a call today for a free consultation.

Categories

Success Stories

  • If he said he was going to do something he did it. He has integrity.

    “Wayne Fricke is a terrific lawyer who knows the law. The following are only several of many ways Mr. Fricke supported me during my time of crisis: 1. Explained the charges against me in a manner that ...”

    - Former Client
  • He always exceeds expectations.

    “Mr. Fricke has been our family lawyer for about 5 years. He has done an amazing job representing my family and I. He always exceeds expectations and informs us on everything going on.”

    - Jen
  • He, at no time, treated me as though I was guilty.

    “I was accused of domestic violence and need a Lawyer to defend me. Not knowing who to hire I started with Mr. K.W. This lawyer did not seem to believe in my innocence and I was looking at 3 to 5 ...”

    - Craig
  • Mr. Fricke had his office call me weekly for updates.

    “A few years ago, I was involved in a car accident. Due to my injuries, I hired an attorney who seemingly disappeared. I was in crisis after calling the court and finding out my case had been dismissed ...”

    - Sharyl
  • He is always honest and straight forward.

    “I hired Lance Hester to help me with 2 different legal matters. One was a felony criminal case and the other was a family law issue. In the felony criminal case this individual had everything to lose ...”

    - Former Client

Proven Results

  • Reduced Sentence Drug Crime
  • Case Dismissed Multiple Counts of Child Exploitation
  • Case Dismissed Domestic Violence
  • Four Felony Charges Dismissed Four Felony Counts
  • Reduced Sentence Drug Distribution
  • Vacated Conviction 4th Degree Assault
  • Case Dismissed Possession of Stolen Property
  • Two Restraining Orders Granted Anti-harassment Orders
  • Federal Court Success Federal Probation Violation
  • Case Dismissed Rape
/

Why Choose the Hester Law Group?

  • Accessible to Clients

    We understand the urgency clients have when they need an attorney. We are availableĀ  24/7 to help you.

  • We Truly Care

    We feel honored to help someone through the toughest time they will ever go through.

  • Personalized Approach

    At Hester Law Group, we use a personal approach that best suits the needs of our clients.

  • Unparalleled Experience

    We have been a successful team for two decades and have over 130 years of combined experience.

We're Available 24/7

Get Started on Your Defense Today
  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.