By Alan Ellis, Todd Bussert, and Mark Allenbaugh
Approximately 94 percent of all federal criminal defendants plead guilty. Seventy-five percent of the remaining individuals who proceed to trial are convicted. There is, therefore, a 97 percent chance that a person charged with a federal crime will ultimately face a judge for purposes of sentencing. “How much time am I going to do?” For most individuals, this is a key concern. The following tips will help attorneys and their clients obtain the lowest possible sentence.