Acceptance of Responsibility in Federal Court

Written by:Julian Stroleny PortraitJulian Stroleny

There are several types of criminal defense law, each requiring special skills and experience. Federal courts and state courts need to be navigated in very different ways.  Often, what works in one court won’t work in another so a good criminal defense lawyer in Miami should be your first call.  A knowledgeable federal criminal defense attorney can get clients big advantages with acceptance of responsibility points towards a sentence reduction. A lawyer who only handles state court cases won’t be as experienced in this area of law. If you’ve been arrested and charged with a federal crime, it’s important to get in touch with a Miami criminal law firm that can help you get out of trouble.

Federal Sentencing Guidelines

There are federal sentencing guidelines, and those guidelines mandate certain terms for people convicted of federal crimes. Every federal crime is assigned a level of severity, and the points correspond to a sentencing recommendation. One of the few ways to lessen the sentence below the standard sentencing recommendation is to attain a point reduction through the Defendant’s acceptance of responsibility.  An experienced criminal lawyer in Miami is going to give you the best chance at resolving your case.

Common State Defense Attorney Mistakes

Criminal defense attorneys who mostly practice in state courts just don’t have as much experience with federal courts and can make big mistakes when they’re representing clients in federal court.

  • They choose to go to trial, even though there is a much higher conviction rate in federal court. They don’t understand the other options available.
  • They don’t know how they can make use of the acceptance of responsibility adjustment to seriously lessen their client’s sentence.
  • For the reasons above, it’s important to hire an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer who can work with each client individually and give them the best shot of getting their sentence reduced.

Acceptance of Responsibility with an Experienced Federal Attorney

Acceptance of responsibility is a process where a defendant can take responsibility for their actions and get their sentence reduced under the federal sentencing guidelines. This is a good defense strategy, and in some scenarios it can reduce your sentence by years.

A good federal criminal defense attorney knows all about this process, including:

  • Even if the US Attorney’s Office agrees or disagrees to decrease the sentence using an Acceptance of Responsibility reduction, the decision to go ahead with it is in the judge’s hands.
  • There is one exception to this rule, and that is if the defendant wants a three level reduction, the US Attorney’s Office has to file a formal statement that they want to go along with this kind of sentence reduction.

Get in touch with a criminal defense attorney in Miami if you’re in jail. A good Miami criminal lawyer is your best bet. Don’t just call any criminal defense lawyer in Miami, though. Make sure you hire one that makes you feel informed about your case.

Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney handles a variety of criminal law cases, so call now if you have any questions.

View more contact information here: Criminal Defense Lawyer in Miami.


Request a Free Case Evaluation

Fill out the form below and we will respond to you shortly.

The materials on this web site are intended for informational purposes only. The materials on this Web site are not intended to be, nor should they be interpreted as, legal advice or opinion. The reader should not consider this information to be an invitation to an attorney client relationship, should not rely on information presented here for any purpose, and should always seek the legal advice of counsel in the appropriate jurisdiction. Transmission and receipt of the information in this site and/or communication with the Firm via e-mail is not intended to solicit or create, and does not create, an attorney-client relationship between the Firm and any person or entity.