Sentencing is often the most important aspect of an Wisconsin criminal defendant’s experience in the criminal justice system. However, the attention and diligence paid to this aspect of the system is often overlooked by criminal defense attorneys. Realizing that even the most generally law-abiding individual may commit a crime in their lifetimes – and be charged and found guilty of the crime –necessitates a deliberate and systematic preparation for a sentencing hearing.
While every criminal case brought by the State of Wisconsin should be highly scrutinized for legal and factual defenses, it is fair to say most cases that are charged by Wisconsin prosecutors will result in some kind of sentence by the court. Therefore, if you’ve been charged with a crime, it is never too early to start preparing for a sentencing hearing. I begin this preparation process with my clients during our first meeting – whether or not the client will fight the case on legal or factual grounds. This “aggressive mitigation” approach is unique to my practice.
I’ve laid out the following graphic to demonstrate how my approach differs from many criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin: