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How Do I Prepare for Sentencing?   Every defendant should learn how judges sentence. In determinate sentencing system, like the federal system, judges rely upon guidelines. Anyone can read about the process. Research the federal sentencing guidelines. The federal sentencing guidelines have two scales. One scale is vertical. The vertical scale runs from a level […]

Thinking through an effective sentencing strategy includes thoughts about the character reference letters. Every defendant has an opportunity to submit character reference letters that may make an impression on the judge. But what makes a good character reference letter for the court? In the fall of 2016, I interviewed Judge Mark Bennett and he spoke […]

Federal Judges and Sentencing A few years ago UC Hastings Law School invited me to speak. I was one of several speakers. The other speakers included federal judges and law professors. A few prosecutors also spoke. I learned how judges want people to prepare for sentencing. Four judges gave us their views on sentencing. The […]

How Should Martin Shkreli Prepare for Prison?   Federal prosecutors charged Martin Shkreli with fraud. He chose not to reconcile with his victims and accusers. Instead, Shkreli chose a scotched-earth defense strategy. How will his demeanor influence his prison journey? Shkreli pressed prosecutors to prove their case at trial. There isn’t anything wrong with that. […]

Do you want to know “How Much Should I Pay to Hire a Prison Consultant?”   That question is too broad. Prices for prison consultants will vary across the board. I am sure that some prison consultants will tell stories about prison for $50. Other prison consultants will bill some clients in excess of $20,000. […]

How to Hire Consultant to Prepare for Prison Has the government indicted you? You may want to know how to hire a consultant to prepare for prison. If you don’t know, how can you choose which consultant to hire? Start by completing your due diligence. All consultants will claim that they can help. But how […]

Do You Need a Prison Consultant?   Statistics show some troubling realities. It’s good to learn. What happens when the federal government brings charges? A sentencing hearing follows more than 85% of the time. With those kinds of odds, it makes sense for every defendant to understand sentencing. A consultant can help. But how will […]

Every year, 100,000 people come into the federal system. State prosecutors bring charges against thousands more. Those people hire lawyers. Some may need a guide to prepare. In the previous article I shared how a consultant can add value. Consultants should know the system. That’s for granted. Yet not all consultants have the same level […]

Why Should I Hire a Consultant if I’ve been charged with a crime? If authorities charge someone with a crime, life changes. The individual becomes “a defendant.” And as a defendant, stakeholders and the system will view the person differently. The concept of being innocent until proven guilty sounds feels more like a myth than […]

If you’ve been charged with a crime, you need to know how to hire a defense attorney. What do you know about hiring a lawyer? The reality is that defendants who do not know how to hire a defense attorney put themselves at a real disadvantage. Many defendants simply type: “hire a defense attorney” into […]

Title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Author: Mark Manson Date I read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: July 11, 2017 Book summary number: 1 Why I chose to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: My friend Jason recommended that I read The Subtle Art of Not […]

The UC Hastings Symposium on Federal Sentencing Reform taught me a great deal. I learned from all of the presenters, including federal prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law professors. Mostly, I valued what I learned from the federal judges who contributed. U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer was the first of five judges who spoke at […]

Few defendants know or understand how to prepare for sentencing. That’s understandable. First-time offenders have especially hard times preparing for sentencing. People see others that break the law as criminals. Yet when authorities target them, defendants see things differently. Despite their arrest and conviction, defendants cannot identify with the way that others in the system will perceive […]

Wire Fraud Many factors will influence sentence length for a conviction of wire fraud. Wire fraud includes the use of email, telephone, the Internet, or other telecom equipment. For that reason, federal rather than state authorities bring charges for wire fraud in most cases. A sentence may be as low as a few months probation. […]

Andrew Casperson needed an effective sentence mitigation strategy. Prosecutors accused him of coordinating a $38 million Ponzi scheme. He pleaded guilty to the crime. His victims included family and friends. At sentencing, prosecutors urged the judge to sentence Mr. Caspersen to 188 months, nearly 16 years. Judge Jed Rakoff sentenced him to 48 months, about […]