Last Updated on: 25th February 2023, 11:37 am

Hire an Attorney to Seek Compassionate Release: A Chance at Freedom

If you or your loved one is in prison, seeking a compassionate release may be one of your only hopes of seeing the outside world again. However, the process can be daunting, complicated, and ultimately frustrating. In fact, obtaining a compassionate release is an uphill battle with a very low rate of success. That’s why hiring an attorney to seek compassionate release is crucial.

At Spodek Law Group, our attorney Todd Spodek and his team understand the ins and outs of the compassionate release process. Our first step is to conduct an investigation into your unique situation to determine the category of compassionate release under which you qualify. We will work to prove that all of the criteria are fulfilled, beginning with an interview and expanding to a review of court records, medical records, and other available information. We will even contact the Bureau of Prisons on your behalf to secure copies of your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis records.

With this information, we will draft your compassionate release petition. This petition will include the provision you’re filing under, how you meet the requirements, and other relevant background information. Attached to the petition will be a copy of supporting documentation. After you review and approve the packet, our firm will file the compassionate release package with your Warden on your behalf.

Monitoring and Intervention

After the petition has been filed, we will monitor the progress of your request. The Bureau is notoriously slow and haphazard in its review of such petitions, so to keep the petition on track, we will stay in contact with the Central Office Reduction in Sentence (RIS) Coordinator.

Intervention may also be required, and our extensive experience with such matters enables us to know when and how to intervene. Depending on the circumstances, we will contact specific Bureau officials to motivate them to render a decision in an expedited manner. We may also petition the Attorney General, along with Congressmen, Senators, and select, connected criminal justice nonprofits, in an effort to convince them to use their political sway to motivate the Bureau of Prisons to grant your compassionate release petition.

Review of Bureau Decision and Reentry Assistance

At the end of the Bureau’s review process, it will render a decision. If the Director of the Bureau of Prisons approves, the BOP will ask the U.S. Attorney for the inmate’s district of sentencing to move the court for a reduction in sentence. If this is the case, and you require assistance, our firm can help your family get in contact with local agencies that can provide transportation, medical care, and other required assistance.

If, on the other hand, the Bureau denies the compassionate release request, we can offer a legal opinion on the best path forward. This could be to utilize the Administrative Remedy Program to appeal the Warden’s denial, reformulate and resubmit, or wait until we believe your current situation is more likely to result in a favorable Bureau disposition.

Why Hiring an Attorney Makes Sense

Hiring an attorney to assist in securing a compassionate release makes sense for several important reasons. First, our experience enables us to develop a compassionate release petition that will help the Bureau see that you fulfill the appropriate criteria. We can also help you understand under what provision you’ll be most likely to succeed. This document, along with supporting documentation that we include, is largely what the Bureau bases its decision on.

Second, our experience enables us to know who to speak to, when, and what direction to take. Simply put, we know what buttons to push and when to push them. An added benefit to employing our firm for such matters is that our reputation

Why Hiring an Attorney Makes Sense (cont.)

Moreover, our reputation precedes us. When the Bureau receives a compassionate release request on our letterhead or when they receive a communication from our attorneys, they know to proceed carefully. This is something that simply is not done when an inmate files on his or her own behalf.

But in the end, what matters most is your loved one. Hiring an attorney to seek compassionate release gives your loved one the best possible chance at freedom. Even if you don’t retain our firm, we strongly suggest that you bring on someone with a proven track record of success. Your loved one deserves as much, and you’ll be glad you did.

To learn more about hiring an attorney for compassionate release, visit our website and read our Hiring an Attorney for Compassionate Release FAQs. At Spodek Law Group, we are dedicated to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcomes. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with attorney Todd Spodek and his team.