Your defense attorney can help you in many more ways than just representing you in a courtroom. Even if you’ve been convicted, your defense attorney can protect your interests by arguing for a lighter sentence. A federal sentencing memorandum, or sentencing memo, is a document that your criminal defense lawyer in Columbus can draft on your behalf.
Under criminal law, if you’ve been convicted of a crime in federal court, your sentencing process will involve three steps. The first two steps involve the establishment of a sentence according to the Sentencing Guidelines. During the final stage of this process, your defense attorney can craft a strong argument to justify a lighter sentence. This argument is presented within the sentencing memo. In the memo, your attorney may point out that you played a minimal role in the crime or that there were other mitigating factors. Or, your attorney may point to evidence that suggests you were suffering mental health problems at the time of the incident and that you have a low risk of committing another crime in the future.