Who Decides on the Sentence?
The judge.
Juries do not sentence you. Only a judge can impose a sentence and only after a conviction by jury, or you plead guilty to the judge.
Judges cannot offer you a sentence. You cannot negotiate with the judge. The judge must first determine whether your guilt has been proven or if your plea of guilty is knowing and voluntary.
The judge is not your friend. The judge cannot help you. The judge cannot advise you. Do not think for a moment that the judge will be lenient because you are in a bad situation.
Think of the judge as an umpire. An umpire will not award the game to one team over another, he can’t. He calls the strikes, calls the fouls, and is there to make sure the rules are followed.
Judges must follow the sentencing law in your jurisdiction. You cannot appeal a judge's sentence unless the sentence is illegal in some way. This rarely happens.
Client Reviews
★★★★★
My experience with Mr. Behr and his staff was nothing short of phenomenal. I hope to not ever need representation again. But In the case I do. J would absolutely use Mr. Behr. I would also fully recommend him to anyone I know in need of representation. Jeff
★★★★★
When I travel throughout the world for business I can honestly say that I feel extremely comfortable knowing I can pick up the phone for guidance and know Mr. Behr will consistently have my back with a positive answer on the other end. I attribute my success with my business by having this honorable man on my team. Thomas
★★★★★
Mr. Behr has helped me in various cases. And each time has been more than successful than I expected! I would recommend him 100% to anyone with legal problems. Eve
★★★★★
He filed motion after motion until the judge finally dismissed my case. He even took it to another judge. The guy never stopped and let nothing stop him. He was all over the prosecutor and knew more law than the judge, it was super cool to watch the man work. He is the best lawyer in the county. Jose