I have been charged with a crime in federal court and if convicted am facing the United States Sentencing Guidelines. What should I do?
You need a lawyer. You should hire a lawyer as soon as possible. If you cannot afford an attorney, the federal court will appoint either the federal defender or another lawyer to represent you. It is my opinion that federal charges are more difficult to handle than charges in state court. The rules are different in federal court and everything takes more effort to do. In addition, the defense is not provided certain discovery materials until the Friday before trial which complicates trial preparation. Finally, if you plead guilty or are convicted at trial, you must then prepare for sentencing. Sentencing in the federal criminal justice system is extremely complicated due to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Congress created the United States Sentencing Commission for the purpose of establishing sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts that will “assure the ends of justice by promulgating detailed guidelines prescribing the appropriate sentences for offenders conv
