If you are facing criminal charges, it is common to be concerned about the social stigma and repercussions that a criminal conviction could have on your future. Fortunately, there are a number of options available to avoid having a criminal conviction on your permanent record. One of the most attractive options is referred to as… Read More
Battling a Felony Charge A felony is a very serious criminal charge, and the resulting penalties can be severe. If you are convicted of a felony, you face very serious consequences including large fines, imprisonment, and social stigma that can last the rest of your life. To reduce your chances of facing these challenges, you… Read More
Why an Appeals Lawyer Can Still Help You After a Conviction There are a number of reasons why people are often confused or uncertain about the appeals process, mainly that few of us personally know people who have been required to navigate it. Federal appeals can seem mysterious. If you are interested in pursuing a… Read More
Defending Against Federal Crimes While many people know someone who has faced criminal charges at the state level, fewer people have come into contact with the federal criminal court system. While there are a number of similarities between the federal and state criminal systems, there are also a number of differences. Due to these differences,… Read More
Commonalities of Successful Federal Lawyers There are a number of traits that the best federal lawyers share, including intelligence, excellent people skills, experience, and the ability to effectively communicate in writing. There are a number of other skills that are common among federal lawyers, however, that many people fail to consider when choosing a lawyer… Read More
Similar to state court judges, federal magistrate judges are responsible for deciding at an initial appearance whether an individual who is charged with a crime will remain in custody or is capable of leaving on a bond. Because pre-trial release requirements can be particularly strict, to navigate these matters, it is often critical to obtain… Read More
Understanding the First Offender Program Following a first arrest, it is common to end up experiencing a number of emotions such as confusion and fear. Because most people think that they will never end up facing criminal charges, it is often bewildering to be charged with a criminal offense for the first time. Continue reading… Read More
Understanding the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Established in 1984, the Sentencing Reform Act created the United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Before this time, federal judges had much more discretion regarding how to sentence people convicted of criminal offenses. Unfortunately, this discretion sometimes led to unequal sentences for the same criminal offense. The sentencing guidelines, however, helped… Read More
Answering the Question: What Does Pleading No Contest Mean? A no contest plea is a type of plea used in criminal proceeding as an alternative to the more traditional guilty or not guilty plea. Also sometimes known as a nolo contendere plea, a no contest plea is the equivalent of a person stating that he… Read More
What to Consider When You Plead Not Guilty When a person decides to plead not guilty, he or she is informing the prosecution that a case will proceed to trial and involve much more complex decisions. Even after choosing to plead not guilty, it is common to feel uncertain about what will occur in your… Read More