If you have yet to be sentenced, I have an assignment for you!
I want you to stop telling everyone the obvious, such as, “I didn’t have bad intent.”
Of course you didn’t have bad intent. I didn’t have bad intent when I broke the law.
Few people wake up and say, “Today’s the day I’m going to break the law, ruin my reputation, create victims and lose my freedom.” It usually doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t help you if you continue to say, “I didn’t have bad intent,” or, “I didn’t mean to do it,” or, “I was swept into this, I felt a great deal of pressure.” All of those things may be true, but it won’t help you at your sentencing hearing. It won’t help you obtain the shortest sentence in the most favorable place, preferably your home instead of a federal prison.
So what should you try instead? Well, that is what I discuss in this new video.
Best,
Justin Paperny
P.S. In this video, I reference our lesson plan on the probation interview and a video that covers the four points to convey in a sentencing narrative.
