Sentencing Advocacy: Principles and Strategy

To ensure a fair criminal trial, effective sentencing advocacy is needed in every stage of prosecution, from investigation through plea, trial and sentencing hearings. With fewer criminal cases proceeding to trial, advocacy is increasingly critical for both prosecutors and defense attorneys and can determine whether or not a defendant receives an appropriate sentence.

Here is a volume that comprehensively describes the steps to effective sentencing advocacy, addressing not only terms of imprisonment or probation, but fines, forfeiture, restitution and other collateral sentencing consequences. It emphasizes approaching sentencing advocacy holistically, treating it as a key component of attorney advocacy in every criminal case. Covering the fundamental sentencing procedures and concepts, it describes where and how attorneys can use advocacy to advance their clients’ goals. It also explains aspects of sentencing that otherwise may appear too complex to a novice criminal practitioner. Importantly, this is not a book on sentencing law, although it addresses legal sentencing issues as they pertain to sentencing advocacy. Rather, the focus is on teaching attorneys how to use advocacy to achieve the best sentence for their clients.

The Honorable C.J. Williams is a United States District Court Judge in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, whose three-decade legal career included criminal defense work and more than two decades as a federal prosecutor.