by John Floyd | Sep 12, 2025 | Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing
Charged with a federal crime in Houston can be terrifying and confusing. You’re likely wondering what penalties you’re facing and how to protect your future. Federal sentencing guidelines play a major role in determining your punishment, but knowing how...
by John Floyd | Jun 29, 2024 | Criminal Justice Reform, Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing
In a complicated and convoluted March 15, 2024 decision,Pulsifer v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals’ interpretation of the federal sentencing scheme’s “safety valve“provisions—an interpretation thatensures continued...
by John Floyd | Apr 29, 2024 | Criminal Justice Reform, Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing, Uncategorized
On April 14, 2024, the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) unanimously voted to pass a package of federal sentencing reforms dealing with acquitted conduct and age considerations. The issue of acquitted conduct, and even uncharged conduct, has long been used by...
by John Floyd | Jan 16, 2024 | Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing
The laws and guidelines governing federal sentencing have two things in common: uncertainty and complexity. This was made clear last July 24, 2023, when the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decidedUnited States v. Vargas. Theen banc court dealt with this singular issue:...
by John Floyd | Jan 15, 2024 | Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing
A defendant’s federal sentencing memorandum aims to secure the best sentence possible for the defendant. Its value lies in the opportunity the memo gives criminal defense attorneys to put forth mitigating factors about the defendant’s background, family, social and...
by John Floyd | Jan 15, 2024 | Federal Criminal Law, Federal Sentencing
FEDERAL SENTENCING: AN ALWAYS UNCERTAIN LANDSCAPE The Sentencing Reform Act (SRA) was part of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. The SRA abolished the federal parole system, replaced indeterminate sentencing with determinate sentencing, eliminated...
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