Chattanooga Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer.
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If you are being investigated or have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a white-collar crime (such as fraud) or any other federal criminal offense (including drug or firearm charges), and are looking to retain a criminal defense attorney to protect your constitutional rights, please give me a call at (423) 255-7642. That is my mobile number, and I am available day or night--including weekends--to take your call.
My commitment to defending the accused is powered by a rare and invaluable perspective: my prior service as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) right here in Chattanooga. For years, I was on the other side of the aisle in the same federal courthouse, working within the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. That experience gave me firsthand knowledge of how federal agents investigate cases, how prosecutors build their arguments, and what strategies they employ in court. Today, I put that insider's understanding to work for you. Knowing the government's playbook allows me to anticipate their moves, identify critical weaknesses in their case, and craft a defense strategy designed to protect your rights, your liberty, and your future. And because I have so many years of experience as a federal prosecutor and federal criminal defense lawyer, the judges and prosecutors know me as a trustworthy and reasonable person, and they will listen to my arguments.
Federal prosecution is a lot different than state prosecution, for at least three very important reasons. First, the good news and bad news is that in almost all cases, money has nothing to do with federal bond: the judge either lets you sign an unsecured appearance bond and go home (similar to an "O.R. bond" in state court), or he does not. You won't have to sit in jail because you can't afford a bond. But sometimes it can be difficult to convince a federal judge to let you out on bond at all, especially in certain types of drug cases or violent cases, or if you have a history of non-appearance or violating other bond or probation conditions. You need an attorney who the judge respects and trusts in order to have the best chance of getting bond. Second, in federal court, unlike in state court, you often cannot strike a plea bargain with the prosecutor for a particular sentence or term of imprisonment. Instead, the federal judge must decide what sentence and term of imprisonment to impose, even if you plead guilty. Third, there is no parole in the federal system, and federal prison sentences tend to be significantly longer than state sentences for similar crimes. That is particularly true with federal drug laws. In addition, many federal crimes carry lengthy mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment, and all federal sentences are guided by and based in part upon the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Although the Guidelines no longer are mandatory, the federal judge must consider them before imposing a sentence, and many if not most federal sentences tend to be within or very near the applicable Guidelines range. A good federal criminal defense lawyer can help you predict how much time you face based on your applicable Guidelines range, so that you can evaluate whether to enter a plea agreement or go to trial. The best federal criminal defense lawyer will then work hard to minimize the time you spend in federal prison or maximize your chance of a not-guilty verdict at trial.
In addition to my experience as a federal prosecutor, I have worked as a law clerk for a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals, where my job included reviewing appellate briefs, examining trial records, and advising the judge as to the law governing appeals from convictions on such diverse federal crimes as drug trafficking, international money laundering, and murder. Accordingly, my experience as an attorney includes not only prosecuting and defending federal defendants, but also working on federal criminal appeals "from the other side of the bench." My experience in that regard helps me to know what will be persuasive to the people reading the briefs.
How much does a federal criminal defense lawyer cost? The answer is: it varies, but I keep my retainers as affordable as possible, which I am able to do because I own my own office building, and I do not employ a staff of assistants to fend-off my clients. Because I have very low overhead, I am able to charge very reasonable fees. The result is win-win for my clients--they get lower fees and personal attention from their lawyer, without ever being screened by a secretary or investigator.
My commitment to defending the accused is powered by a rare and invaluable perspective: my prior service as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) right here in Chattanooga. For years, I was on the other side of the aisle in the same federal courthouse, working within the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. That experience gave me firsthand knowledge of how federal agents investigate cases, how prosecutors build their arguments, and what strategies they employ in court. Today, I put that insider's understanding to work for you. Knowing the government's playbook allows me to anticipate their moves, identify critical weaknesses in their case, and craft a defense strategy designed to protect your rights, your liberty, and your future. And because I have so many years of experience as a federal prosecutor and federal criminal defense lawyer, the judges and prosecutors know me as a trustworthy and reasonable person, and they will listen to my arguments.
Federal prosecution is a lot different than state prosecution, for at least three very important reasons. First, the good news and bad news is that in almost all cases, money has nothing to do with federal bond: the judge either lets you sign an unsecured appearance bond and go home (similar to an "O.R. bond" in state court), or he does not. You won't have to sit in jail because you can't afford a bond. But sometimes it can be difficult to convince a federal judge to let you out on bond at all, especially in certain types of drug cases or violent cases, or if you have a history of non-appearance or violating other bond or probation conditions. You need an attorney who the judge respects and trusts in order to have the best chance of getting bond. Second, in federal court, unlike in state court, you often cannot strike a plea bargain with the prosecutor for a particular sentence or term of imprisonment. Instead, the federal judge must decide what sentence and term of imprisonment to impose, even if you plead guilty. Third, there is no parole in the federal system, and federal prison sentences tend to be significantly longer than state sentences for similar crimes. That is particularly true with federal drug laws. In addition, many federal crimes carry lengthy mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment, and all federal sentences are guided by and based in part upon the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Although the Guidelines no longer are mandatory, the federal judge must consider them before imposing a sentence, and many if not most federal sentences tend to be within or very near the applicable Guidelines range. A good federal criminal defense lawyer can help you predict how much time you face based on your applicable Guidelines range, so that you can evaluate whether to enter a plea agreement or go to trial. The best federal criminal defense lawyer will then work hard to minimize the time you spend in federal prison or maximize your chance of a not-guilty verdict at trial.
In addition to my experience as a federal prosecutor, I have worked as a law clerk for a Senior Judge on the United States Court of Appeals, where my job included reviewing appellate briefs, examining trial records, and advising the judge as to the law governing appeals from convictions on such diverse federal crimes as drug trafficking, international money laundering, and murder. Accordingly, my experience as an attorney includes not only prosecuting and defending federal defendants, but also working on federal criminal appeals "from the other side of the bench." My experience in that regard helps me to know what will be persuasive to the people reading the briefs.
How much does a federal criminal defense lawyer cost? The answer is: it varies, but I keep my retainers as affordable as possible, which I am able to do because I own my own office building, and I do not employ a staff of assistants to fend-off my clients. Because I have very low overhead, I am able to charge very reasonable fees. The result is win-win for my clients--they get lower fees and personal attention from their lawyer, without ever being screened by a secretary or investigator.