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 are Maryland’s self-defense laws?

It may be easy to dismiss claims of self-defense made by those facing criminal charges. Yet at the same, you likely recognize that there are scenarios where you may feel compared to act in defense of yourself, your family, your home and property, and even your...

What are examples of fraudulent medical practices?

You may think that healthcare fraud does not have anything to do with your private practice. However, some of your practices may get you into trouble if people think they see signs of fraud. There are several ways that your medical practices may be fraudulent....

When can a criminal conviction result in deportation?

Even if you are in the United States with a green card as a permanent resident, it is possible for the government to deport you in certain circumstances. Particularly if the government believes that you have violated immigration laws, it can decide to try and remove...

Answers to common appeal questions

Once an individual receives a sentence for a criminal conviction, he or she may qualify for an appeal. An appeal means that he or she asks a higher court to look for legal errors in the lower court's conviction. If the higher court finds errors that would have...