Drug Sentencing Guidelines

Federal and Pennsylvania Sentencing Guidelines

Sentencing guidelines have been created by Congress and the Pennsylvania legislature to provide judges with direction for sentencing people convicted of crimes. In theory Sentencing guidelines should ensure that everyone is treated the same: that racism does not play a role in harsher sentencing and that different judges cannot give radically different sentences.

Federal sentencing guidelines and Federal and State mandatory minimums, have taken away the ability of judges to take individual circumstances into account.

These have led to harsher, even draconian sentencing measures, particularly in sex crimes cases and federal and State drug cases.

When cases can be tried in either state or federal court, prosecutors will look at sentencing guidelines to see which system provides for greater criminal punishment and jail time as one factor in deciding whether a case will be tried in state or federal court.

It's important to work with an attorney with an intimate understanding of state and federal sentencing guidelines. The Pennsylvania and federal crimes defense attorneys at Patrick Artur & Associates have more than 30 years of criminal defense experience in both state and federal courts. A comprehensive understanding of Pennsylvania sentencing guidelines may allow your criminal defense lawyer to develop your case in a direction with fewer and less harsh penalties.

• You can view the Pennsylvania Sentencing Guidelines on the Web site of the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing.
• You can view Federal Sentencing Guidelines on the Web site of the United States Sentencing Commission.

Sentencing Appeals

Even after a sentence has been given, the Pennsylvania defense attorneys at Patrick Artur & Associates can initiate a Booker or Blakely post-conviction appeal to challenge use of federal sentencing guidelines. Our law firm is experienced in handling appeals in both state and federal court.

Contact Patrick Artur & Associates for aggressive and effective defense in federal or state criminal cases.

The criminal defense law offices of Patrick Artur & Associates represents people charged with drug crimes in communities throughout Pennsylvania, including communities such as Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Counties

Allegheny County ▪ Armstrong County ▪ Beaver County ▪ Berks County ▪ Bucks County ▪ Butler County ▪ Chester County ▪ Cumberland County ▪ Dauphin County ▪ Delaware County ▪ Lancaster County ▪ Lebanon County ▪ Lehigh County ▪ Montgomery County ▪ Northumberland County ▪ Perry County ▪ Philadelphia County ▪ Schuylkill County ▪ Washington County ▪ Westmoreland County ▪ York County