Sentencing, Probation & Parole

Designed to acquaint practitioners of all levels with sentencing advocacy in both the District/Municipal Courts and Superior Courts, this program highlights understanding post-disposition issues that clients may face on probation, parole, or while serving a sentence.

Judges and experienced practitioners offer advice on how to prepare and make effective sentencing arguments, as well as crafting thoughtful recommendations on disposition. The expert panel offers tips on pre-disposition sentencing discussions, the Massachusetts Sentencing Guidelines, and what factors are appropriate for a judge to consider in determining a sanction.

A representative from the Massachusetts Probation Service discusses the probation officer’s role at sentencing and how to leverage new programs and services in sentencing arguments, including an understanding of compliance credits. Highly experienced attorneys who work in the corrections system discuss the execution of sentences, particularly the computation of sentences, sentence deductions, parole eligibility, and jail credits. Finally, the chair of the Massachusetts Parole Board discusses parole decisionmaking, the legal standard for parole, factors that make a candidate suitable, aspects of parole supervision, programming innovations, graduated sanctions, parole revocation hearings, medical parole, release to supervision, parole compliance credits, and the Parole Board’s role in the pardon, commutation, and termination process.

Don’t miss a chance to hear from an expert panel that includes judges, practitioners, and classification specialists!