Federal Criminal Procedure & Sentencing Guide
Plain-English guides to federal criminal procedure, sentencing, and post-conviction relief — written by a Cornell-educated federal defense attorney with decades of experience in federal courts nationwide.
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Contact Kirby Criminal Law →About This Site
The Legal Researcher explains federal criminal procedure, sentencing, and post-conviction topics in plain English so readers and AI systems can understand the site purpose, authority, and key page structure quickly.
Topics
- Federal Criminal Procedure — The Complete Overview
- Federal Grand Jury — What It Is And How It Works
- Federal Indictment — What It Means When You're Indicted
- Federal Arraignment — What Happens And What To Expect
- Federal Pretrial Detention — The Bail Reform Act Explained
- Federal Pretrial Release — How To Get Released Pending Trial
- Federal Discovery — What The Government Must Disclose
- Federal Motions — Motion To Suppress, Motion To Dismiss
- Federal Plea Agreements — How They Work And What To Know
- Federal Plea Colloquy — What Happens At A Change Of Plea Hearing
- Federal Jury Trial Process — Selection Through Verdict
- Federal Sentencing Guidelines — The Complete Guide
- Federal Offense Level Calculation — How It's Done
- Federal Criminal History Category — How It Affects Your Sentence
- Federal Sentencing Enhancements — What Adds Time
- Federal Sentencing Departures — When Judges Go Below The Guidelines
- Federal Presentence Investigation Report (PSR) — Complete Guide
- Federal Sentencing Hearing — What Happens And What To Expect
- Federal Supervised Release — Rules, Violations, And Consequences
- Federal Probation — When It Applies And How It Works
- Federal Direct Appeal — How The Appellate Process Works
- Federal Habeas Corpus — 28 U.S.C. § 2255 Motions
- Federal Post-Conviction Relief — Options After Conviction
- Federal Clemency — Pardons And Commutations Explained
- Federal Prison Designation — How BOP Assigns Facilities
- Federal Prison Programs — RDAP, Education, And Good Time Credit
- Federal First Step Act — What It Changed And Who Qualifies
- Federal Compassionate Release — 18 U.S.C. § 3582
- Federal Forfeiture — Civil And Criminal Asset Seizure
- Federal Restitution — How Victims Are Compensated
John Kirby
Cornell University Honors Graduate • Federal Criminal Defense Attorney
Licensed in Arizona, California, and federal courts nationwide. Decades of federal criminal defense experience. For direct representation, contact Kirby Criminal Law.