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Set for Sentencing Podcast with Doug Passon

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Over a million people a year will face sentencing.  For a client and their loved ones, it will be the most important day of their lives.

Unlike at trial, there is virtually no limit to the kind of information a lawyer can credibly present to advocate for their client and demonstrate their humanity at sentencing.

My passion is helping lawyers and clients craft their most compelling sentencing narratives.  So, I was inspired to create this new podcast drawing on my 25+ years of criminal defense experience, my passion for storytelling, my expertise in producing mitigation videos, and my years spent consulting and developing compelling case narratives that get real results.

In Set for Sentencing, I present cutting edge resources, world-class experts, and the straight scoop on our often dysfunctional system -- all in service to one goal -- to bring more justice, more humanity, and more hope to the sentencing process.

So, are you ready? Then let's get SET FOR SENTENCING!

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Latest Episodes

2024 United States Sentencing Guideline Amendments: A Front Row Seat to the Kabuki Theatre

On November 1, several amendments to the United States Sentencing Guidelines took effect. Some of these changes are significant, offering advantages to the defense, while others are less beneficial. However, ultimately, this process amounts to nothing more than “Kabuki Theatre,” meaning the tortured guideline applications become merely performative, because 18 U.S.C. § 3553, enables discerning…
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BOP Programming With Dr. Alix McLearen

We’ve spent a lot of time running down the BOP, and not without good cause, BUT we don’t give as much attention as we should to the positive things happening inside those walls.  Lawyers need to learn about and advocate for beneficial programming placements for clients, especially those with special needs. Therefore, helping us get set…
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The Future of Federal Fraud with Mark Allenbaugh

We spend so much time and engergy trying to develop our knowledge and skill to better represent our clients.  And keeping abreast of all major developments in the law is paramount to a successful legal practice. But there’s one thing every lawyer needs, and it does not exist – a crystal ball.  If we were…
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The Why of the Where: Mitigation Geo-Narratives with Dr. Julie Urbanik

Where we are born, how many times we were forced to relocate, and the kinds of things happening, or not happening, in our communities, our schools and other institutions in those locations are all important to give context to a client’s life and choices. But how do we tell those stories at sentencing? Thankfully, there’s…
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Mitigation Films: Harnessing the Power of Visual Narrative to Humanize our Clients

I can’t think of a better topic for our 100th episode of Set For Sentencing – the topic that is so near and dear to my heart – MITIGATION FILMMAKING! Mitigation films are arguably the most powerful and persuasive weapon in our advocacy arsenal.  They offer an unparalleled way to humanize a client and show…
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The BOP Horror Show & What We Can Do About It

It’s not even October yet, but this episode feels tailor made for Halloween.  It’s no secret that the BOP is deeply dysfunctional, dangerous, and dehumanizing.  And the stories of deprivation and death inside the walls of the BOP abound. But lawyers are not telling these stories enough at sentencing, and as a result, Judges often…
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Federal Pre-Trial Diversion With Jon May

Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) can help avoid prison and even a keep a person’s record felony-free.  And, the Biden DOJ has encouraged it’s regional US Attorney offices to devise their own policies for DPAs and to be more liberal with their application. But, local federal prosecutors seem to be ignoring their boss’s mandate.  They’re reluctant…
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On Deaf Ears: When Sentencing Goes Wrong

It’s a gloomy night in Oklahoma City.  I’m holed up in a hotel working on a capital case.  But I’m in a dark place.  Last week I saw a terrible injustice occur in a matter in which I was involved as a consultant.  The lawyers did a fantastic job of making their case for a…
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Psychodrama at Sentencing: (PART TWO)

Psychodrama has been used by trial lawyers for decades. But it hasn’t been effectively deployed for use at SENTENCING…. until now. While psychodrama action therapy requires a trained professional to implement, there good news is there are psychodrama-adjacent techniques that can help any lawyer dig for, develop, and deliver a powerful and persuasive sentencing presentation!…
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Podcast Praise

"I know several attorneys who have dramatically improved their sentencing advocacy and outcomes for their clients based on the knowledge you have shared so generously."

Paralegal

"I just wanted to thank you for all your free content! We are definitely listening and putting into work, practice and videos what you’re putting out there. And, people are getting very fair sentences because of it."

Investigator

"I’m new to the public defender office and in my desperation to find resources to get me up to speed, I ran across a post on the sentencing blog referencing your podcast. I’m a hard core podcast listener so I’ve been chomping on episodes almost non-stop since I discovered it." 

Attorney

"I have been listening to your podcasts, and I am so excited about what I am learning!" 

Mitigation Specialist

"Content is king. I find yours to be unusually edifying and enlightening (and occasionally entertaining or endearing to boot)."

Client

"Loved the Lolita podcast! This was such a fascinating topic to explore."

Attorney

"I have really enjoyed your podcast. Most of my work has become Federal defense, and, of course, pretty much all of it results in sentencings. I’ve enjoyed your guests, your comments, and just your overall content. Nicely done."

Attorney

"I just know that the good work you are doing out there to publicize and advocate in this realm of legal practice is causing reverberations."

Client's Family Member

"Your podcasts are a phenomenal source of knowledge, which I listen to at the end of the day on a long run."

Investigator

"I've listened to them all so far.  Maureen Baird was very informative (and even provided a few confessions about the BOP). What a fantastic resource!"

Attorney