In some regards, federal criminal charges are similar to state charges. Prosecutors bring specific allegations against individuals. The defendant enters a plea, and the case might potentially go to trial. The defendant has certain rights, including the right to have legal representation throughout the process. The trial ends in a verdict and possibly a sentence if the finding is not in the favor of the defendant.
Aspects of this process are different based on whether the case is a state or federal matter. Some actions that are crimes at the federal level may not lead to state charges, and vice versa. One important difference between state and federal charges is that those in federal court are often subject to federal mandatory minimum sentencing regulations.
What impact can mandatory minimum sentences have on the criminal justice process?
They put pressure on defendants
Some criminal offenses carry much more serious penalties at the federal level than the same offense would trigger at the state level. Repeat offenses, drug crimes and violent crimes are often subject to mandatory minimum sentencing rules.
The risk of a minimum period of incarceration in a federal facility pushes many people to plead guilty even if they insist that they are actually innocent. Particularly in cases where prosecutors can bring multiple charges at once or where a defendant has previous charges that affect the sentencing guidelines, the mandatory minimum sentence could put them at risk of a lengthy separation from their loved ones.
They influenced the negotiation process
Frequently, prosecutors may propose plea bargains or plea deals in an attempt to secure convictions by making certain concessions to the defendant. In cases where there might be a significant mandatory minimum sentence, that negotiation process might focus on arranging for a change in charges.
Prosecutors do sometimes agree to pursue reduced or alternate charges in cases where defendants enter guilty pleas. The nature of the charges and the type of evidence the state has can influence the most effective way to respond to federal charges.
Discussing – with a skilled legal team – whether mandatory minimum sentencing rules apply to a specific federal criminal charge can be an important step when developing a federal criminal defense strategy. Defendants who understand these risks can set strategic goals with their lawyers to mitigate the consequences of the allegations they face.