This is part I of a IV-part series discussing various aspects of the United States Sentencing Guidelines. What are the Sentencing Guidelines? The United States Sentencing Guidelines (“Guidelines”) are a series of rules promulgated by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. At their core, they are a method of assigning points to offenses and to a defendant’s…
Individuals charged with federal crimes are entitled to a hearing to determine whether they will be detained or afforded bail while awaiting trial in a federal criminal case. The four possibilities with respect to release for those charged with federal crimes are that the person is: 1. released on personal recognizance or upon execution of…
Deferred adjudication is a form of community supervision (like probation) that a judge may impose after a plea of guilty or no contest. A person who is placed on deferred adjudication is generally subject to terms and conditions including monthly reporting to a probation officer, random drug testing, and community service. Terms of deferred adjudication…