Federal Sentencing Guidelines

Understanding the Federal Sentencing Guidelines

Federal Sentencing Hearing Pointers

If you plead guilty or are found guilty, the court will schedule a sentencing hearing.

Prior to your sentencing hearing, the court will order that a Presentence Investigation Report (PSR) be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Sentencing guidelines, which are law, will be used to determine your sentence.

What Determines How Severe My Sentence Will Be?

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the severity of the offense and the extent of your criminal history will largely dictate the sentence you receive.

In some cases, your criminal history alone may be the key factor. Federal law mandates severe sentences for persons with certain types of prior convictions. As you can see, your criminal record may play a significant role in your decision to plead guilty or go to trial.  You should also be aware of the fact that the crime for which you are convicted may have very specific sentencing guidelines.

Should I Plead Guilty or Go to Trial?

Your sentence also will depend, in part, on whether your decision was to plead guilty or go to trial. The decision to plead guilty or go to trial is a criticaldecision in your case. You must discuss the application of the guidelines with your attorney to ensure that your decision is a fully informed decision.

What happens at the Sentencing Hearing?

Your attorney will get a copy of the PSR, and you will have an opportunity to review it for accuracy before you are sentenced.

You will have an opportunity to speak to the judge at your sentencing hearing. If you would like to speak with the judge at the hearing, you should discuss that with your attorney well before your actual hearing. Do not wait until the day of the sentencing to make this important decision.

The District Court Judge also will give your attorney and, perhaps, other interested persons an opportunity to speak on your behalf. Friends, colleagues, or family members also may choose to write a letter to the sentencing judge on your behalf.

Any letters provided on your behalf should be sent directly to your attorney who will present them to the court.

Let your attorney or investigator know well in advance of sentencing the names and addresses of the people you believe will want to write or speak on your behalf at sentencing.

Remember: you may seriously jeopardize your case if anything presented by you or your witnesses appears to be untrue or conflicts with the PSR and cannot be satisfactorily explained.

It is extremely important that you provide accurate information.

Possible Federal Penalties

  • Prison Time/confinement in a federal prison, which is controlled by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (B.O.P.)
  • Although rare, probation
  • Fines

If you are sentenced to prison time, you may be placed in any institution in the U.S.  Although the B.O.P. tries to place most people as close to their home state as possible, many factors are involved in assigning the place of confinement.

Such factors include:

Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Sentence reductions for good conduct in prison are limited. If sentenced to prison, you can expect to serve at least 85% of your sentence.

If you are given a sentence of imprisonment, you should be prepared to begin serving it immediately.

Supervised release also must be imposed when you are given a prison sentence. When you are released from jail, you will be under the court’s supervision for several years. If you violate the conditions of your supervised release, you can be sentenced to an additional jail term. You also can lose all credit for “street time” spent while on supervised release.

Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the criminal defense lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, LLC have the experience and background necessary to provide aggressive legal representation that can help you avoid jail time and other criminal penalties.  Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case.

How this works

Step 1 - Welcome
In this step, you'll experience a warm welcome as you enter the Strom Law Firm.
1
Step 2 - Initial Meeting
You'll meet with professionals. They will go through the facts of your case, explain the entire process.
2
Step 3 - Preparations
We builds your case by interviewing witnesses, conducting legal research, drafting pleadings, and hiring experts.
3
Step 4 - Trial
You'll learn that the firm is trial-ready. They've been preparing since day one and will guide you through the process.
4
Step 5 - Resolution
your case concludes with the firm hoping for a positive outcome. They assure enduring friendships and a commitment to being there for you, regardless of future legal needs.
5
No obligations & no credit card required

STROM LAW IS...

years combined
legal experience
0 +
awards &
accredetations
0 +
Founded
in
0
years
in business
0

What Our Clients Say

They truly care
Mrs Vallery, who answered the phone took more care and attention to detail than any other law office, that I have called, in 2 years+. She diligently took notes to give to the lawyers and cared about my situation and let me actually tell everything without cutting me short. Out of over 100 law offices, this is rare treatment. Care. Consideration. That means more than anything going through this…
Anonymous
google-logo
Professional Representation, Satisfying Legal Outcome!
My wife and I retained Bakari Sellers to represent our son in a case in Richland County. We found Mr. Sellers, his assistant Stephanie, and the rest of the staff at Strom, extremely courteous and professional. We really appreciated Mr. Sellers’ straightforward and honest approach. We believe this is a very competent law firm, and are satisfied with the legal outcome they achieved. We would highly recommend them!
Bryan B.
google-logo
Exceptional Legal Team After Our Car Accident!
We retained Atty Jessica Fickling to help us after a terrible car accident. She and her paralegal Mallory were wonderful! Professional, skilled, savvy – we couldn’t have asked for a better legal team. Many thanks!!
Jocelyn C.
google-logo
Strom Law Firm's Consistent Excellence
I have been a client with The Strom Law Firm for thirty years and have been incredibly blessed to have the assurance that they will do everything possible to provide excellent service to my needs. Ally Benevento is exceptional and represents the firm in a professional manner.
Timothy O.
google-logo
From Self-Representation to Victory in SSDI Case!
My experience with Mario and his staff was outstanding. When everyone said to give up my case with SSDI and after being poorly represented and losing. I had to file my own appeals and represent myself. I literally called every attorney in the book. Then I called Mario cold – I expected one more no! Well, this gentleman took my case and won. He knows the law and cares a lot. I am proud to call him my friend. If you need a professional to help you, call these guys.
Robert L.
google-logo
A Pleasure to Work With, Outstanding Case Outcome!
Thanks Olivia, It was a pleasure working with you. You were well prepared and presented our case in a very professional manner. I could not have ask for a better outcome. Working with everyone at the Strom Law Firm has always been a pleasure and I will be happy to recommend your Law Firm to anyone.
Nancy G.
google-logo
A Lifesaver in the Courtroom, Ensuring Freedom with A1 Professionalism
Needed a lifesaver. I had gotten myself into a bad situation and the possibility of going to prison. Through the diligence and hard work done by attorney Alley B., I was able to walk out of that courtroom a free man. No tricks just hard down attorney work. She was an A1 professional and knew every inch of the Law pertaining to my case. For that, I am forever grateful.
Anonymous
google-logo
A Winning Team at Strom Law Firm!
John Alphin was great. We basically worked together for 22 months. Bakari Sellers was also on the team and together those 2 guys were fabulous. Won the case and I’m still a client of Strom law firm. Thank you and awesome law firm.
Steve T.
google-logo
Excellence in Action for Workman's Comp Case!
Strom Law Firm was really great and professional. I had a great experience with Mario as my attorney and his paralegal, Brian. These two are amazing, they worked very hard on my husband’s workman’s comp case and we were very pleased with the services and results 👍. Brian was so prompt at returning phone calls and getting things ready for the case. I strongly recommend this firm for any of your legal matters. If I had to use you guys again, I would be happy to do so.
Mary W.
google-logo
Mastering Complex Legal Issues with Care and Compassion
Mario Pacella at Strom Law Firm LLC in Brunswick, Georgia, is a masterful, no-nonsense lawyer. His caring and compassionate approach, along with prompt responsiveness, sets him apart. Mario and the firm exhibit exceptional professionalism and attention to detail, emphasizing genuine care for every client.
L. Gilder
google-logo
No obligations & no credit card required

Contact Us For A Free Case Evaluation

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

No obligations & no credit card required

*A consultation fee applies to employment matters