Sentencing Memorandum (Defense)

Sentencing Memorandum (Defense)

Advocates for the most favorable sentence by presenting the defendant as a complete person, analyzing guidelines, and proposing a just sentence grounded in the § 3553(a) factors.

Prerequisites

Gather before drafting:

• Presentence report (PSR) — USSG calculations, criminal history, personal history
• Objections to PSR — factual or legal objections to probation officer's calculations
• Guidelines calculation — offense level, criminal history category, guidelines range
• Defendant's history — background, family, education, employment, health, military
• Letters of support — family, employers, community, clergy
• Mitigating evidence — mental health records, substance abuse treatment, trauma
• Victim impact — restitution calculations, victim statements
• Proposed sentence — what defense requests and why

Quick Start

1. Calculate correct guidelines range and identify PSR objections
2. Map defendant's life history to § 3553(a) factors
3. Organize mitigating factors by persuasive strength
4. Draft sentence proposal applying the parsimony principle
5. Attach letters of support and evidentiary exhibits

Document Structure

Introduction

• Acknowledge the offense honestly
• Introduce the defendant as a person
• Preview the requested sentence

Guidelines Analysis

Offense Level: Base level, specific offense characteristics, adjustments (role, obstruction, acceptance of responsibility), objections with legal authority, correct range.

Criminal History: Category/score, objections (over-representation), context for priors.

Departures and Variances: Departure grounds (USSG §§ 5K1.1, 5K2.0), variance grounds under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), government § 5K1.1 motion if cooperating.

The § 3553(a) Factors

Address each factor with specificity:

Mitigating Factors

Present in order of persuasive strength. For each: supporting evidence (records, declarations, letters), link to reduced culpability or recidivism risk, connection to requested sentence.

Proposed Sentence

• Specific request (months, conditions)
• Parsimony argument — sufficient but not greater than necessary
• Supervised release conditions
• Alternatives to incarceration if appropriate (home confinement, community service, treatment)
• Restitution: agreed amount or dispute basis, ability to pay, payment schedule, offsets

Letters of Support

Summarize letters attached, highlight key themes, note specific commitments (employment, housing, support network).

Conclusion

Humanize the defendant, restate requested sentence, tie to all § 3553(a) factors.

Pitfalls and Checks

• Be specific over general — "works 60-hour weeks as a welder to support three children" beats "is a hard worker"
• Acknowledge harm honestly — courts respect candor; never minimize the offense
• Preempt the government — address their likely arguments for a higher sentence
• Support every factual claim with exhibits, records, or declarations
• Cite comparable cases with lower sentences to counter disparity
• Coordinate on cooperation — if § 5K1.1 motion applies, align with the government
• Consider live testimony — request a sentencing hearing for character witnesses when impactful