Trials, Pleas, and Sentencing
The decision to take your case to trial or plead guilty is one of the most important decisions a person can make. A criminal defense attorney’s job is to put the client in the best position to make that decision and then use the attorney's skill and expertise to pursue the best result possible.
Stephanie has been described by a federal prosecutor as one of the most thorough defense attorneys he has worked with. Her thoroughness allows her to see weaknesses in the government’s case and to work with the client to use those weaknesses to the client’s advantage.
Trial
Stephanie is prepared to take cases to trial. As a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College, Stephanie uses the storytelling method of trial advocacy. Stephanie works closely with her clients to build a story that addresses the prosecutor’s evidence, the client’s point of view, and explains to a jury why the correct verdict is “not guilty.”
For some clients, pleading guilty is the right choice. Stephanie’s diligence and expertise enables her to help clients choose what path is best. Stephanie understands how to negotiate with prosecutors to achieve the best plea available in the circumstances.
Pleas
A criminal defense attorney’s job is far from over after the trial has ended or there has been a plea agreement. There is more work to be done at the sentencing stage. Stephanie works closely with her clients to understand their lives, their circumstances, and what is important to the client. She understands how to incorporate that information into a mitigation strategy aimed at convincing the judge that a lenient sentence is appropriate.
Stephanie incorporates psychology, sociology, and other scienced disciplines into her sentencing practice.
For example, for one of her federal clients facing a Guidelines sentencing range of 70-87 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Stephanie was able to secure a sentence of 5 months. She drafted a detailed sentencing memorandum explaining how concepts in the book, The Body Keeps the Score, related to drug addiction and trauma fit the story of her client’s life in a way that the judge could understand the choices the client made that resulted in a federal criminal case.