Will the U.S. Attorney guarantee a specific sentence if I plead guilty?
One of the biggest differences between State criminal cases and Federal criminal cases is that, in the Federal system, there are no guarantees. Except in the rarest of circumstances, no one will ever guarantee you anything. You can enter into a plea agreement with the government, but the agreement is not binding on the District Court Judge. It only obligates the government to make certain recommendations that the Judge is free to ignore if he or she chooses. Further, if you do not like the sentence that the Court imposes, you do not have the right to withdraw your guilty plea and proceed to trial. Plea negotiations are very complicated and difficult in a Federal criminal case. This is why it is so very important that you are represented by an attorney with experience in Federal criminal cases.
