(Published September 3, 2025)  In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen talk about immigration offenses relating to unlawfully entering or remaining in the United States. Lori and Pete highlight the important pieces of information needed to effectively apply §2L1.2 and identify existing Commission resources that might be of particular use to practitioners.

(Published July 10, 2025)  In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen discuss a very popular HelpLine topic: stipulations. Lori and Pete break down what the term "stipulation" means, the impact of a plea agreement stipulation on guideline application, and some best practices for including a stipulation under §1B1.2 in a plea agreement.

(Published May 20, 2025)  In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen discuss a frequent issue for callers on HelpLine: relevant conduct. Lori and Peter focus on the rules for assessing jointly undertaken criminal activity, the importance of applying those rules in order, common misconceptions, and much more.

(Published April 2, 2025) In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen walk listeners through cross references: what they are, how to properly apply them, dealing with multi-guideline cross references, various tips and tricks for handling cross references, and much more.

(Published March 6, 2025)  In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen talk about pseudocounts, a term of art used in guideline application. Their conversation provides guidance on the meaning of the term and describes the limited times when pseudocounts can be used.

(Published February 4, 2025)  In this episode, Lori Baker and Peter Madsen discuss the use of supervised release—an area of focus for the Commission this amendment cycle.

(Published January 8, 2025)  This episode examines the 2023 amendment to the Guidelines Manual relating to criminal history. Lori and Pete cover this popular HelpLine topic, covering the changes to status points including the move from §4A1.1(d) to §4A1.1(e) and who the changes affect, the creation of a new guideline for zero-point individuals at §4C1.1, and more.

Related Materials:

(Published December 4, 2024) This episode takes a deep dive into the 2023 amendments to the primary firearms guideline at §2K2.1. Lori and Pete break down the changes and additions to the Guidelines Manual including new offenses and increased penalties. They answer frequently asked guideline questions about proliferation of firearm switches and auto sears, and more.

Related Materials:

(Published October 31, 2024)  The 2024 Guideline Amendments Miniseries covers six key amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines, effective November 1, 2024.

(Published October 31, 2024)  The 2024 Guideline Amendments Miniseries covers six key amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines, effective November 1, 2024. The fifth part in this miniseries covers Amendment 829 and revisions to §5H1.1, which addresses the relevance of age in sentencing.