Truth-In-Sentencing

The 65 percent rumor has been around longer than I've been practicing. There are bills and other discussions about sentencing reform, but a much...

Will I be trialed under both federal and state law?

Both can try you. Whether both try you depends on State law, and the practical deference States have toward federal prosecutions as a cost matter...

Does federal court rule on the "letter of the law"

I concur with Mr. Richman, and add only that federal court and federal law is a different animal than any State system I've ever even observed. ...

The three cardinal rules of keeping a criminal defense afloat: (1) get your money up front; (2) if someone has to go to jail, make sure it's not...

How do a break a minimum of 5 years sentence, for 210 g of heroin

As Mr. Rothstein notes, there are two methods under mandatory minimum sentences: (1) safety valve, for specific, unarmed "first" offenders (18 USC...

How do I get my brothers six months in a county jail credited to his sentence?

if this is a federal sentence, the Bureau of Prisons -- who alone gets to calculate sentences -- should credit any time served that is not applied...

Can I buy a gun with a misdemeanor warrent on me?

Federal law forbids possession of firearms or ammunition by any person "who is a fugitive from justice." 18 U.S. Code, Section 922(g). The...

How Much Time Will My Friend Serve On A 39 Month Sentence? He Serve 6 Months Already

RDAP in-custody (phase one) guarantees six months of halfway house (phase 2, "transitional care"). The sliding scale for early release credit...

Is the 85% law still effective?

Yes. In fact, the way the BOP calculates time, it is actually closer to 87 percent (47 days per year).

Can I ask for a stay of proceeding in a federal civil case if I am the defendant, in jail and representing myself in the matter?

You can certainly ask. There is no guarantee that the Court will go for it. But your are free to lay out your good faith reasons for the stay,...