Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series - The Framework of the Guidelines

Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines: A Virtual Series is a comprehensive examination of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. The first webinar in this series will explore the framework of the guidelines - see description below.

Subsequent webinars, which will occur monthly, will examine topics in Chapter One on relevant conduct; in Chapter Two on guideline calculations for drug offenses, firearm offenses, immigration offenses, sex offenses, and economic crime offenses; in Chapter Three on adjustments and grouping; in Chapter Four on criminal history calculations and career offender/categorical approach problems; in Chapters Five and Seven on imposition and violations of probation/supervised release; on recent guideline amendments and trending sentencing guideline issues; on the effective use of data and resources in deconstructing the guidelines; and, finally, on the importance of injecting the clients' stories to move away from a rigid application of the guidelines, particularly when the guidelines provide too harsh a sentence.

The Framework of the Guidelines:

Each and every one of us representing individuals in federal court must know and understand the sentencing guidelines better than anyone else in the courtroom. In this session, we will tour the guidelines manual (focusing on Chapter 1), with an eye towards understanding its basic structure and the theories on which it operates. A solid grasp of the guideline basics will reveal there is both room and need for creative sentencing advocacy. It takes understanding this framework, where it is rigid and where it bends, to effectively advocate for the best possible outcomes for our clients.

Presenters:

Amy Rubin joined the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington & Idaho for the first time in 1999 as a summer intern, followed by a fellowship. After completing a federal clerkship in Atlanta, she returned to the Federal Defenders. Previously, Amy graduated from the University of Colorado in 1995, received her law degree from the University of Montana in 2000. Amy has taught trial advocacy at Emory Law School, various state and federal trial advocacy programs, and has been on the faculty of National Criminal Defense College.

J. Stephen Roberts Jr. is a Trial Attorney at the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington & Idaho. He graduated from the College of William & Mary and Gonzaga School of Law with honors. After law school, Steve clerked for the Honorable Robert H. Whaley, Senior U.S. District Judge (E.D. Wash.). He transitioned to the Federal Defender's Office in Spokane as a Fellowship and Trial Attorney from 2014 to present. He is also active in the Federal Bar Association of Eastern Washington, having served as President in 2023.

CLE Information:

We have applied for CLE accreditation in states that have mandatory requirements. We regret that we cannot respond to telephone inquiries regarding the status of CLE approval prior to the webinar. All information related to CLE will be emailed to attendees within 15-30 days following the program.

• To minimize reporting fees per attorney/program, if you are barred in more than one of the following states NM, TN, PA, NE, attendance will be reported to one state only.
• The attorney is responsible for making sure the appropriate state and bar number is on file with the DSO Training Division.
• For applicable states, attendance will be reported using the bar number and state(s) listed on the registration form submitted for this program.
• Failure to provide the state and bar number may result in the Training Division not being able to report your attendance.