Defense Attorneys With Federal Experience

At RaquinMercer LLC, we handle federal cases in Maryland for the Northern and Southern Division – in Baltimore and Greenbelt – and the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit. Attorney Steve Mercer also represents clients in the federal District Court in the District of Columbia. Attorneys Isabelle Raquin and Steve Mercer can provide you with the knowledgeable advice and skilled representation you need. Our team has a passion for federal defense work, and we do everything we can to protect the rights of the accused.

Our federal experience extends to a wide range of cases, including:

Child pornography
Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Act (VICAR)
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO)
Drug possession, distribution or importation
Trafficking of guns and firearms

Federal Sentencing Guidelines

To determine your sentence, the judge will use federal sentencing guidelines. The guidelines can be complex, and the potential mandatory minimum sentences are very severe. Our firm knows how to work the guidelines and sentencing factors in order to mitigate the range of calculated points and give you the best possible outcome.

Protecting Your Rights At Every Stage Of The Process

Our firm assists clients throughout the criminal justice process, including if you have been contacted by the police as a suspect, target, person of interest, or as a witness, if you received a summons, or if you have been subpoenaed to testify at trial or before a grand jury. You should retain a lawyer to advise you of your rights. Our attorneys will:

Make sure you don’t incriminate yourself
Prepare you for the charges to come
Start investigating the case early and collect evidence
Negotiate the conditions of your release if an arrest is made
Protect you from harassment by the police, Child Protection Services, the state or government, or the media

If you have been charged or have reason to believe you are under investigation, it is important to consult with an attorney as soon as possible. Contact us now for a consultation.

Practice Areas

What might you face in drug court?

Drug charges may impact many aspects of your life. Regardless of the reason behind the arrest, you may wonder what your future holds and how things may change. Special courts dealing in drug charges have come about to help people like you get a quicker resolution to...

Can a forensic interview keep you from a wrongful conviction?

Forensic interviews are not just for the prosecution. In this process, the defense can gather information from a witness or victim to present in a court hearing. In situations involving allegations of child abuse, this technique offers the defense an opportunity to...

What is “trace DNA” and how do investigators find it?

In identifying the perpetrator of a crime, major tasks might include sifting through the evidence for materials having characteristics that do not change over time. Fingerprints are examples of such characteristics. Another example of profiling technology is trace DNA...

What may help me when I file an appeal?

If you found a harmful legal error that led to your conviction, you may file an appeal and request that a judge review your case. Showing that a mistake in the court’s actions or processing occurred may compel a judge to overturn a conviction. According to the...