Speaking as a career criminal-defense attorney, "quaint" is incredibly charitable.

It's hard to pick favorites when there are so many viable choices, but allowing judges to sentence defendants based on acquitted conduct has to be a contender.

Fascinating! Have you seen this article about AI choosing an appropriate federal sentence? I have lots of thoughts, and this article is fascinating food for thought! sentencing.substack.com/p/an-ai-expe...

I've been a criminal defense attorney my whole career, and I firmly believe it’s a privilege to tell my clients’ stories. And now it's an honor to guide students as they learn to do the same for their own clients during their time in the University of Houston Criminal Justice Clinic.

Importantly, mitigation is not the same as making an excuse for crime. Instead, it’s a way to inspire compassion and illuminate the circumstances that shaped, as Russell Stetler put it, “the influences that converged in the years, days, hours, minutes, and seconds” before the alleged crime.

By the time someone is charged with a crime, they’re viewed negatively by police, prosecutors, and perhaps even the court. The defense lawyer's job is to change that narrative. Whether in trial, plea negotiations, or sentencing advocacy, we remind decision makers of our clients’ humanity.

This is a fascinating idea, and I'm looking forward to digging into your article. My instinct is that time-served offers would decrease, so I'm particularly interested in that section. Thanks for sharing.