Sentencing Mitigation
Why Sentencing Preparation Matters
Waiting until the week before sentencing to begin to think about how to prepare is a mistake that happens way too often.
The pre-sentencing phase begins way before any plea deal or a guilty verdict. The emotional burden that comes as sentencing approaches creates a fear in many defendants and causes them to focus on things in the next phase of the process, such as:
- Uncertainty around upcoming prison or jail time
- Damage to reputation and career
- The financial strain your case may have caused you or your family
- How to get a job after this is all over
But preparing for sentencing is critical.
There is limited time to prepare and having a plan is essential to any opportunity for success. Our team of consultants will make certain that we focus on what is needed in the order of importance.
There will certainly be concerns about the post-sentencing phase (preparation for prison or the sex registry, re-entry assistance plans, etc.) — but first, you must get through sentencing.
Avoid the mistakes of focusing too far ahead in the process (i.e. prison) and prepare for your sentencing day.
How Can You Prepare for Sentencing?
- Understand your situation and be objective about the State's perspective
- Write an engaging and compelling statement for the Court
- Engage with friends and family and have them write compelling, relevant letters of support for you
- Understand that there is no "quick solution". If you started to plan for sentencing early in this process, you will be best prepared to help mitigate your sentence as much as possible.
There are things that you (or your friends & family) say and put in writing that could help or damage your situation at sentencing.
We are here to help you develop a plan early, navigate the process, and ensure that you are prepared. Our team will work with you and/or your family to make certain that we have a goal and action items throughout the process and avoid waiting until the last minute.
Planning is critical BEFORE you get to the sentencing stage.
Some clients avoid preparing because they are holding onto hope that the charges will go away or be dropped, or they are found not guilty. While this certainly happens in some instances — when it doesn’t, and you haven’t prepared, you are caught in a last-minute rush to pull a plan together. Even then, you most likely won’t have sufficient time to follow through with your plan.
Our team is here to make sure that doesn’t happen.