NATIONWIDE FEDERAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE (213) 542-0994

Firm Overview

Federal Criminal Lawyers Defending Clients Nationwide

Ronald D. Hedding and Alex R. Kessel have both been successful criminal defense attorneys for many years. They have decided to team up in the federal criminal defense arena and handle cases together. We encourage you to call and set up a free face-to-face, absolutely confidential consultation to discuss your federal matter with us.

Federal criminal defense has many unique elements that make it a very specialized field. Both Mr. Hedding and Mr. Kessel complement each other related to their individual skill sets. If you have a federal matter, it is imperative that you immediately seek counsel from a federal criminal defense firm that has handled cases just like the one you are facing. Mr. Kessel and Mr. Hedding have tried federal cases as co-counsel in numerous serious federal matters and have the ability to present a powerful defense for their clients.

I've been practicing since the early 1990s doing federal criminal cases. My first of four children was born during a federal trial in downtown Los Angeles. I know the court system well. I know the lay of the land. I know how federal prosecutors handle cases, and I have a pretty good idea of how judges are going to handle cases based on my dealings with them and obviously their reputation in the community.

Federal Sentencing Guidelines

Because these are federal cases, the Federal Sentencing Guidelines control and give you an idea of what someone's going to be facing if they get convicted of a particular crime. And those Federal Sentencing Guidelines are good nationwide. In other words, it's the same Federal Sentencing Guidelines in every federal court across the nation.

I've been to many different courts, so I have some pretty good experience. When it comes to federal cases, I've been to probably over twenty different states. I've been to courts all over California, obviously, because that's where my main office is based, but when it comes to federal cases you can travel and I have clients flying in to meet with me.

I go meet with them, and we're trying to figure out what can be done to put you in the best possible situation. What strategies are we going to employ, and that's done through talking to you and getting information about your case, and getting a plan together.

Initial Call to Review Your Case

I've been practicing criminal defense for many years. I have other attorneys that work with me. Obviously, research attorneys. My father has been an attorney since the early 1970s, but I'm the main attorney to handle the federal criminal cases. So, if you've got a federal criminal case, give me a call.

If you're call from another state, I don't have a problem talking to you about the case over the phone to try to get a feel if I can help you and also to get a feel if you and I are the right match for each other related to your case. Once we have a good idea that I can help you and that you're looking for someone like me to help you, then obviously we will get a strategy together. We'll meet. You can retain me and I'll start working on your case with an eye to achieving the goals that you want in your federal case and doing everything possible.

The experience that our attorneys have in dealing with criminal cases relates to the — I worked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office in the early 1990s and then also in the 1990's, I worked for a Superior Court judge as his research attorney and right-hand man, and I've done federal criminal defense cases since 1994.

So, I believe I have a lot of experience. I have done many trials over the years, so I think the bottom line is that I've got experience and I work hard for my clients and I really try to get down to the meat of what the client needs and what makes sense under their circumstances.

Whenever you're talking about solving a problem, I think the old adage, you know, that you want to get your road map together first before you set out on your journey, definitely makes sense to me in any federal criminal case anywhere in the nation, because you can try to file a bunch of motions or fight the case, but if you don't have the grounds for it, and if ultimately the government has the evidence against you, all you're going to do is anger everybody and put your client in a worse position.

Common Federal Criminal Cases We Handle

We handle a lot of drug-related offenses and other crimes like embezzlement, tampering with consumer products, video voyeurism, transporting stolen property, honest services fraud, trespassing, wire fraud, mail fraud, probation violations, hostage taking, a felon with a firearm, attempted murder or manslaughter and other unique cases that involve either high dollars or moving money between state lines. I handle a lot of sex crimes involving the internet and child pornography. I have handled just about every type of federal case.

We handle federal cases in the central district and Los Angeles County as well as across the country. I have traveled throughout the nation dealing with federal cases. I know how to get other attorneys involved in the state where you need local counsel in order to assist you.

The United States is divided up into districts. Where your case occurred is going to determine in which district your case will be dealt with. Sometimes, an offense includes multiple jurisdictions. In that case, it is up to Federal law enforcement which jurisdiction they want to prosecute you in. There is what is called a Rule 29 Motion, which allows you to ask for your case to be moved to a closer jurisdiction. Of course, both districts have to agree to permit the case to be moved.

Many federal and state crimes are the same, meaning they could be prosecuted at the federal or state level. The difference usually comes down to the scale. If the case includes a large amount of drugs or money, it will most likely be prosecuted federally.

First Meeting to Review Discovery

So, that first meeting — that first meeting when you've got all the discovery on the case — it's all ultra-important because that's when you're going to try to decide what you're going to do, how you're going to litigate the case, whether you can win the case, whether it's best to try to negotiate with the government.

Making these decisions as early as you possibly can is crucial because if you are going to negotiate with the government, you probably don't want to take offensive moves against them. All that's going to do is anger them and put them in an offensive position against you and your client. If you can't ultimately win that offensive position, then obviously it's not a good idea to do that.

So, if you're looking for somebody who fights hard for their clients, who has a lot of experience, who's a straight-shooter, honest and can give you the information that you need to make an informed decision, you've come to the right place.

Pick up the phone and contact us. Let's talk over the phone or let's talk face-to-face better yet. We can go over your circumstances, go over your criminal history if you have any, and figure out exactly what the right moves are for you, and then once you retain me you'll know what you need to do to help me and you'll know what I'm going to be doing to put you in the best possible position, get you out of the federal criminal justice system as fast as possible, protect your rights, your reputation and your liberty.

How Much Time is Necessary to Defend a Client Properly?

Once I ask several different questions, I get an idea of what the person is looking at regarding time commitment in defending the case correctly. Then, I usually like to have the client come into my office and sit down and talk to me. 

That's the best way to do it, but sometimes the clients are in custody and don't have the luxury of coming in to talk to me, so the family has to get on the phone and figure out an attorney. We can meet with you face to face; that's usually the best way to do it.  I can ask you a few questions about the case, such as the following:

  • where it's located;
  • what are the charges;
  • what type of criminal record do you have;
  • how many defendants.

Then, I can give you a price quote over the phone if necessary.  But as I said, I usually like to get the person into the office so we can kind of feel each other, you can see what type of a person I am, what type of an attorney I am, in addition to looking at my videos and everything that I have online.

Sometimes it's nice to see the person face to face, but we can give you a price quote over the phone. First, we'll ask several questions, then give you an idea of what we would charge. Then we can meet with you after that; if that fits within your budget, then you can decide whether or not you want to hire based on a face-to-face meeting.

Really when you're talking about the price for a federal criminal defense attorney, many of them are very close to the same because they do it all the time. So the best criminal defense attorneys know what other lawyers charge for different cases.  But like I said, they can charge whatever they want; I'm just telling you how I do it, and I've been doing this now for over 30 years. So I have much experience doing federal criminal cases.

Hiring the Best Federal Criminal Lawyer

When hiring a lawyer for a federal crime, you want to get somebody with experience.  When I say experience, I mean experience at the federal level. 

I've been practicing, doing federal criminal cases now, for over 30 years.  I've handled them nationwide and have a pretty good feel for the step-by-step approach when properly defending a client at the federal level.

First what we'll do is have you come into my office.  We'll sit down and go over your entire case.  I encourage you to be honest and give me all your information so I can best assist you with the next step, deciding the strategy for handling the case.

Whether we fight the case or try to negotiate the case is important because everything you do after our first meeting should be designed to align with your final decision on how you will handle the case.

Review of All the Evidence

If your loved one is in custody and they cannot come to my office, once you hire me on the case, I will review all of the paperwork, any videos, or any evidence the government has turned over. 

I will also talk to the government about the Assistant United States Attorney to find out what they say about the case, and when I meet with your loved one, I've got some information.

I've read the case, I know it, I've talked to the prosecutor, I know their position, and now we can get down to exactly what we're going to do to defend the case.

I can't tell you how many times early in my career, I would meet with people without having any information, and you'd be surprised; many times, the defendants in these cases are just so shocked and overwhelmed at being arrested that they can't even give the attorney any information. 

So, it's always much more beneficial if I can meet with the client after having prepared the case – in other words, reviewed everything, spoke to the prosecutor, maybe even done some investigation on the case so I can figure out exactly:

  • what they're facing,
  • what type of time they're facing,
  • what the evidence is that the prosecutors have against them.

Then we can talk about the case and determine their position.

Proffer Session

Sometimes the prosecutors have evidence, but they're viewing the evidence in the wrong way. So they don't have the other side of the story, and that's where your criminal defense attorney comes in to give the other side of the story. 

Sometimes that's given at a jury trial.  Other times that is given with the defense attorney speaking with the prosecutors and saying, wait a minute.  This is not accurate.  We have some additional information to provide you with to see what's happening here. 

I've done what's called a reverse proffer – where the prosecutors will give information to us to lay out their entire case so we can see how they will prosecute it. 

There's no harm in this.  All we're doing is sitting there listening.  We won't say anything that will incriminate my client, but that's one angle that can be taken, especially in a case where the defendant does not understand how the prosecutors will prove the case against them.

Of course, the reverse of that is true, where someone can sit down, offer a proffer to the government, and answer the government's questions, and sometimes the government gets a different perspective of what's going on with the case.

You would only do that if your attorney advises you to do that, and obviously, we're only going to recommend you to do it if it makes sense based on the facts and circumstances of your case.

So, if you need the best federal criminal defense lawyer, you've come to the right place.  Pick up the phone.  Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding.  I stand at the ready to help you. When you are the target of a federal investigation or pending federal case…there is no substitute for a seasoned federal criminal defense attorney. Prosecutors and federal agents have an endless supply of funds and manpower…you must do something to tip the scales of justice in your favor! One phone call…(213) 542-0994

Client Testimonial

“I found Ron here on this site and due to the other types of cases he was successful with, I chose him. He didn't make a lot of promises on the phone and gave me a realistic impression of what I was in for, which was in contrast to some of the other shady characters I spoke with that promised me the moon. He made me feel confident that he would be able to get me the best possible outcome. Because of Ron's reputation and YEARS of experience, he knows everyone at the DAs office and was able to get ahead of my case and get character reference letters to them before they filed the case. He was able to get the information I COULD NOT have gotten without him. Because of him, my case was never filed, I avoided fees, court, embarrassment and a record. He's as good as the rest of the reviews here say. He DID in fact, get the best possible outcome for me and I feel He was worth every penny, I don't feel like I've been used, I feel I've been supported, respected and properly represented. I'm staying anonymous, but this is a 100% REAL review with a real life scared as heck person, that got through this nightmare with Ron's expertise and support.”

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Hedding Law Firm is committed to answering your questions about Federal Criminal Defense issues in Los Angeles and Encino California. We'll gladly discuss your case with you at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

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