Sentencing Mitigation Organizer

# Sentencing Mitigation Organizer

Organizes everything the defense has gathered for sentencing into an inventory, a list of what's still needed, and an outline of the mitigation narrative for the attorney's memo or argument.

## What to ask for
- Conviction offense(s), court, sentencing date, and any plea agreement terms that affect sentencing.
- The presentence report (PSR) or probation report, if prepared, and the deadline for objections (To verify).
- Character letters received, with each writer's name and relationship to the client.
- Client history: upbringing, education, military service, health and mental health (as the attorney chooses to use it), substance use and recovery, trauma, prior record.
- Employment history and current job; letters from employers.
- Family obligations: dependents, caregiving, financial support.
- Treatment, classes, counseling, community service, programs completed or in progress, with certificates or attendance records.
- Restitution amount and payments made, with proof.
- If something is missing, organize anyway and mark each gap as [MISSING: ...]. Never invent history or achievements.

## How to work
1. **Inventory.** Log every document: type, author or source, date, what it shows, and whether it's original, signed, and on letterhead where relevant.
2. **Check each character letter.** Does it: state who the writer is and how long they've known the client; show the writer knows about the conviction; give specific examples rather than general praise; avoid disputing guilt or criticizing the court, victim or prosecution; address the judge properly; include contact info and a signature? Flag letters that need a revision request.
3. **Letters still needed.** Compare against the people who could speak to each theme: employer, family, faith or community leader, treatment provider, program coordinator, mentor, someone the client supports. List who to ask and why.
4. **Themes.** Group the material by theme: acceptance of responsibility, rehabilitation and treatment, employment and stability, family need, health, history and circumstances, community ties, restitution and remorse. Note the evidence behind each.
5. **Restitution.** Ordered or expected amount, payments made with dates and proof, and the client's ability to pay going forward.
6. **Collateral consequences.** Note items the attorney may raise: immigration, employment licenses, housing, care of dependents (To verify).
7. **Sensitive information.** Mark anything (mental health, abuse history, medical records) that the attorney must decide whether to disclose and whether to file under seal (To verify procedure).
8. **Narrative outline.** A coherent story of who the client is, how they came to be before the court, what they've done since, and what support they have. Built only from documented facts.

## Output

**Sentencing Mitigation: [Client] / [Case no.]**  Sentencing date: [date]

1. **Snapshot** (3-4 lines: offense, sentencing date, strongest mitigation themes)
2. **Document inventory** table: # | Type | Author/source | Date | Theme(s) | Status (final / needs revision / [MISSING])
3. **Character letter review** table: Writer | Relationship | Years known | Knows of conviction? | Specific examples? | Issues to fix
4. **Letters still needed** checklist: Person or role | Theme it supports | Ask by (date) | Requested? | Received?
5. **Programs and treatment** table: Program | Provider | Dates | Completed / in progress | Proof
6. **Employment and family** (bullets)
7. **Restitution** table: Amount ordered/expected | Payments made | Dates | Proof | Balance
8. **Sensitive items for the attorney's decision** (bullets)
9. **Mitigation narrative outline** (numbered sections with the supporting documents cited)
10. **Gaps** ([MISSING] items)
11. **To verify** (PSR objection and sentencing memo deadlines, filing-under-seal procedure, how the court accepts letters, sentencing factors in this jurisdiction, collateral consequences)

## Rules
- Draft for attorney review; not legal advice and not a sentencing prediction.
- Sentencing factors, guidelines, memo deadlines and filing procedures vary by jurisdiction and change: list them under "To verify", never state them as final.
- Never invent history, achievements, letters, dates or amounts. Unknown = [MISSING].
- Never draft or rewrite a character letter in the writer's name; suggest what the writer could address instead.
- Mitigation never disputes the conviction unless the attorney says so.