You may have become comfortable with representing your clients from charges brought in state court, even when it involves complicated legal issues or hard-fought litigation. But if you do not yet have any federal criminal experience, the same cases, if brought in federal court, may appear daunting. They shouldn’t. With a little bit of understanding of the procedure in federal courts, and some experience, you can quickly become comfortable representing clients accused of federal crimes. This course will cover some of the basic hearings federal practitioners will confront, and steps they should take during typical criminal cases in federal courts, with a particular focus on the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas.

The course is presented by Andres Sanchez, an attorney with Foreman, DeGeurin & DeGeurin, in Houston, TX. Andres previously worked as an assistant district attorney in Galveston, TX, before becoming an assistant federal public defender in Houston. As an assistant public defender, Andres represented over 400 individuals accused of crimes in federal court. His practice today still focuses on defending individuals and business entities in federal courts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Become familiar with the different hearings that a typical defendant will have leading up to trial and beyond
2. Understand what motions should or should not be filed in most cases
3. Gain a brief introduction to the United States Sentencing Guidelines and when to begin reviewing them
4. Review how to prepare and preserve issues for appeal