Federal cases are complicated, with difficult to understand federal sentencing guidelines, strict deadlines and more written pleadings than are usually required when defending a case in state court. Federal criminal defense cases require additional expertise and years of experience on the part of an attorney. Consequently, it’s imperative that anyone charged with a federal crime engage an attorney who has tried cases in federal court. Broden & Mickelsen have handled hundreds of Federal criminal cases, not only in Dallas and other cities in Texas, but in Federal courts around the United States.
Federal Crimes – Dallas Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers
Dallas Federal Criminal Lawyers Defense Attorneys Broden & Mickelsen is dedicated to providing aggressive and ethical representation to individuals and businesses charged with criminal offenses including:
Clint Broden and Mick Mickelsen are experienced federal criminal defense attorneys based in Dallas Texas, who have 60 years of combined experience defending cases in federal court. Indeed, despite the fact that the conviction rate in Federal court is approximately 90-95%, the two partners have won approximately a third of their Federal cases at trial.
Broden & Mickelsen have represented defendants charged with virtually every kind of Federal case.
Federal white-collar criminal investigations encompass a wide variety of alleged crimes, but most involve some allegation of fraud. In such cases it is important not to simply hire any criminal defense attorney. One should hire a lawyer that specializes in federal criminal defense. Broden & Mickelsen are experienced federal criminal defense attorneys based in Dallas, Texas, who frequently defend individuals accused of federal fraud crimes.
The federal government is targeting healthcare professionals for prosecution, and many United States Attorney’s offices have prosecutors dedicated solely to prosecuting healthcare fraud. A doctor charged with healthcare & Medicare fraud who faced a prison sentence and loss of his medical license.
A Dallas jury returned a NOT GUILTY verdict in a tax fraud case in which a client was charged with two of his brothers of filing 27 false corporate tax returns. Learn more about IRS/Tax fraud crimes here.
Increasingly, the State and Federal Courts are charging individuals with crimes that pertain to the internet. Many fraud crimes now alleged make use of the internet, and it is not unusual to be charged in Federal court with the allegation of “hacking” into computer systems.
Not only do offenses involving the internet raise many complicated legal issues, they usually raise numerous complicated technical issues. In addition, in Federal court there are often enhanced penalties if the internet is alleged to have been employed in the commission of the crime. Broden & Mickelsen Dallas Internet criminal defense lawyers have successfully defended several clients charged with Federal computer crimes at trial.
The Federal government is devoting an enormous amount of its law enforcement resources to prosecute child pornography cases.
The penalties facing persons charged with drug trafficking in federal court can be astonishing. For example, a defendant, without any criminal record, may face a minimum of ten years in federal prison based upon drug charges.
Often clients are charged with Federal criminal offenses and have valuable property seized. In other instances, the Federal government simply seizes property or cash from someone suspected of some involvement in crime. Broden & Mickelsen has extensive experience not only representing defendants charged with crimes in Federal court but also contesting these seizures in causing the government to return some, if not all, the money seized.
Unlike state court, criminal cases tend to progress quickly in federal court. Generally, the Speedy Trial Act requires that an indictment must be sought within thirty days of a person’s arrest. Similarly, although there are exceptions for complex cases and cases requiring pretrial motions, the Speedy Trial Act requires that a case be tried seventy days from either the date a person is arrested or the date an indictment is returned against the person, whichever is later.
The federal sentencing guidelines are very complex and is one of the primary reasons that you need a lawyer very experienced in Federal criminal defense if you are charged with a crime in federal court.
The sentencing guidelines calculate prison sentences using a table that takes into account, among other things: your criminal history, all of your criminal conduct, whether you accepted responsibility for the charges against you, and your role in the offense. The sentencing guidelines also determine if you are eligible for probation or home confinement (usually only those with no criminal history or a minor criminal history qualify for probation or home confinement). Generally speaking, a judge will give strong considerations to these guidelines while imposing a sentence.
In some circumstances, the judge can “depart” or “vary” upward or downward from the sentencing guidelines in a particular case. Downward departures are most frequent in cases in which a defendant cooperates with the government by giving information regarding other people. Again, it is important to retain a lawyer who works with the federal sentencing guidelines on a daily basis and is familiar with how the guidelines are applied and the exceptions to the guidelines.
Yes, this is very true. Most drug cases involve not only the sentencing guidelines, which are quite harsh in drug cases, but also involve mandatory minimum sentences which are determined by the amount of drugs involved. Moreover, a defendant can be held accountable for drugs possessed by another person simply if the defendant and the other person engaged in “joint criminal activity” and the other drugs were “foreseeable” to the defendant. Sentences are particularly harsh in cases involving crack cocaine. For example, if it is found that a defendant, with no criminal history, possessed with the intent to distribute 280 grams of crack (or even if only part of the 280 grams was possessed by the defendant and the rest was possessed by a coconspirator and “foreseeable” to the defendant), the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison.
It is impossible to provide a general answer to this question, although most cases are generally resolved through a plea bargain. In deciding whether to accept the plea bargain, the two most important things is to make sure you understand all the consequences of the plea bargain and to make sure you have confidence that your lawyer is acting with your best interest in mind. Some things to make sure you understand before accepting a plea bargain in federal court: (1) What will you be admitting to? (2) Does the plea bargain provide for a specific sentence? (3) Do you fully understand how the sentencing guidelines will affect your case and whether you will be eligible for a downward departure or subject to an upward departure? (4) Are there any mandatory minimum sentences that apply to your case? (5) If you are not a United States citizen, will the plea bargain affect your ability to remain in the United States? (6) If there will be a sentence of confinement, do you understand how “supervised release” works? (7) Are you waiving your right to appeal the application of the sentencing guidelines or will you be able to appeal how the trial judge applies the guidelines?
Absolutely. The probation officer will do the preliminary calculation of your sentencing guidelines and, therefore, will have a great deal of influence on your ultimate sentence. Your lawyer owes it to you to attend this very important meeting in order to make sure that nothing is said which could have a detrimental effect on how your guidelines are calculated.
Following a trial, you may appeal to the United States Court of Appeals provided you file a Notice of Appeal within fourteen days of the judgment. Following a guilty plea, you may appeal if you did not waive your right to appeal. If you lose an appeal in the Court of Appeals, you can then ask the United States Supreme Court to consider your case.
The United States Supreme Court picks and chooses the cases it will hear and, as a result, it hears only those cases raising issues that might have an effect on many different cases. After losing an appeal, you can file a post-conviction petition for a writ of habeas corpus if you believe you were denied a constitutional right or if you believe your lawyer was ineffective. Again, however, make sure you did not waive your right to file such petitions as part of your plea agreement.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. If you are sentenced to prison, you are eligible for fifty-four days good time credits for sentences of more than one year. Therefore, you will usually serve about eighty-five percent of your sentence.
If you can demonstrate an alcohol or drug problem, it is also possible to have your sentence reduced by up to a year by participating in a drug program called RDAP.
Please read our blog post –
Difference Between an Appeal and an Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus