If a court or jury convicts a person in a criminal case, sentencing is often scheduled for some future date. In the meantime, both the defense and the prosecution may conduct pre-sentence investigations. Often, the purpose of such work is to gather facts about the character of the convicted person or his or her life circumstances in an effort to influence the court’s decision. Pre-sentence investigations are usually not limited in scope by the court. However, the court may refuse to allow a party to produce extensive numbers of witnesses or facts and data at the sentencing hearing.

Click here to find Pre-Sentence Investigations Attorneys near you.