Legal Question in Criminal Law in Virginia

A presentencing report is a document compiled by a probation officer which provides the Court with information about the Defendant's background, Criminal history, Version of the offense, Family History, Education, and Sentencing Guidelines. It is imperative for clients and attorneys to carefully review the report because the information included in the report is used by the Judge in determining an appropriate sentence. Attorneys should be proactive when they know certain issues may arise in the report. As an attorney, I am also always present when my client is interviewed by the probation officer preparing the pre-sentence report.