Preparing Before Sentencing: Don’t Let the Judge Guess Who You Are
When I pled guilty to securities fraud, I wasn’t thinking about sentencing guidelines or mitigation strategies. I was thinking about how I […]
How the PSR Affects Your Life After Prison
The PSR Doesn’t End With Your Sentence After release, probation officers will use the PSR to determine: Preparing for a Successful Reentry […]
How to Use Your Time in Federal Prison—Or Waste It
When someone is preparing to surrender to federal prison, the emotions are raw. Fear. Shame. Uncertainty. Most people feel overwhelmed—and that feeling […]
How Judges Use the PSR to Decide Your Fate
The PSR is the Most Important Document in Sentencing The judge makes a final decision, but the PSR provides the foundation. Judges […]
10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the PSI Interview
1. Have I created a personal narrative that explains—but doesn’t excuse—my conduct? Judges and probation officers want context only you can provide. […]
Should You Cooperate? Making the Toughest Decision in Your Case
Cooperation sounds straightforward. Help the government, get a lighter federal prison sentence. That’s the message many defendants hear early in their case. […]
How the PSR Affects Your Entire Sentence
The PSR Determines More Than Just Your Sentence Length Many people assume the PSR is only for sentencing. In reality, it affects: […]
The Emotional Toll of Cooperation—What It Costs You Beyond the Courtroom
If you’ve read the earlier blogs in this series, you know that cooperation in a white-collar case can reduce your sentence—sometimes significantly. […]
When Cooperation Backfires—A Cautionary Tale from My Own Case
I’ve written a lot about the potential benefits of cooperation—how a well-prepared defendant can earn a 5K1.1 motion, reduce their sentence, and […]
How David Moulder Avoided Federal Prison—Lessons from His Sentencing
David quickly realized that what most defendants do—what his lawyers were advising him to do—wasn’t enough. Most prisoners:❌ Trust their lawyer to […]
The Pre-Sentence Report: The Document That Follows You
Why the Pre-Sentence Report Matters If you’re facing a federal sentencing, the pre-sentence report (PSR) is one of the most important documents […]