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Federal Sentencing Guidelines

California Federal Sentencing Guidelines Lawyer

The federal sentencing guidelines are very different from that of the California sentencing laws. If you are facing federal criminal charges, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced attorney who not only has experience handling federal cases, but also is skilled at negotiating plea bargains and preparing sentencing memoranda and recommendations.

Seth P. Chazin understands the federal sentencing guidelines and has been structuring fair resolutions for clients for over 30 years. He has effectively helped many clients all over the Bay Area minimize the impacts of federal charges for a wide variety of crimes. If you need comprehensive, aggressive federal criminal defense representation, please contact the office 24 hours a day at 1-800-499-9902 to schedule a free consultation today.

In most cases, the federal sentencing guidelines can produce much more serious outcomes than the state-equivalent sentencing recommendations that are imposed. From drug crimes to white collar crimes, many federal charges may result in mandatory minimum prison terms.

They key to negotiating a fair plea bargain or sentence recommendation is understanding how prison terms are calculated using the advisory guidelines set out under the current laws. Under the federal sentencing guidelines, the base offense level and criminal history category is determined according to the criminal charge you face. Adjustments to the base offense level are made based on:

  • Prior criminal record
  • Level of participation in the crime (major vs. minimal or minor role)
  • The amount of loss if it is a financial crime
  • The amount of the controlled substance in a drug case
  • The level of violence committed
  • Other facts related to how the crime was committed

Skilled San Francisco Federal Sentencing Lawyer

An upward or downward departure can be made depending on these and other factors. For instance, an upward departure can occur if someone has a prior record of violent crime and the level of violence involved is deemed to be particularly severe. If a defendant has no criminal record and the amount of drugs he or she was arrested for is minimal, prison can sometimes be avoided altogether.

Seth P. Chazin has extensive experience using the federal sentencing guidelines to help all types of clients achieve fair outcomes. He knows that, under the U.S. v. Booker, prosecutors and judges are not bound to the guidelines. His skillful negotiation techniques have often produced outcomes that result in considerably reduced sentences and pleas.

To learn more about the federal sentencing guidelines, please read the following article on Federal Sentencing Guidelines or contact The Law Offices of Seth P. Chazin today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your criminal defense needs.

ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY

“The death penalty is a lie, a misguided mistake born of anger and frustration. Capital punishment has become a perverse monument to inequality, to how some lives matter and others do not. It is a violent example of how we protect and value the rich and abandon and devalue the poor. The death penalty is a grim, disturbing shadow formed by the legacy of racial apartheid and bias against the poor that condemns the disfavored among us, but corrupts us all. It’s the perverse symbol elected officials use to strengthen their ‘tough on crime’ reputations and distract us from confronting the causes of violence. It is finally the enemy of grace, redemption and all of us who recognize that each person is more than their worse act.”
- Bryan Stevenson

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