An independent reference on federal criminal law and procedure — how investigations work, how charges are built, how sentencing is calculated, and how appeals proceed — for readers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and federal courts throughout California and Arizona. Published by John D. Kirby, former federal prosecutor.
Explore the GuideThese are not filler posts. They are tight, useful federal-defense briefs designed to strengthen the site, deepen the topical map, and give visitors a reason to stay.
Why objections at trial and sentencing shape the standard of review long before the notice of appeal is filed.
The earliest phase is where the defense can still narrow exposure, shape the story, and change the result.
Reference coverage of federal practice in the Southern District of California, Central District of California, and District of Arizona. The core authorities — 18 U.S.C. § 371, 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a), and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure — are quoted from their primary sources in the block below.
Reference on federal cases from investigation through trial. Drug trafficking, firearms, immigration offenses, and all Title 18 charges.
Learn more →Fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, public corruption, and regulatory investigations — the statutes and how these cases are charged.
Learn more →Money laundering, wire fraud, bank fraud, securities violations, tax evasion. Reference on the statutes and the financial records at issue.
Learn more →Multi-defendant conspiracy cases, RICO, continuing criminal enterprise — procedure under 18 U.S.C. § 371 and the coconspirator statement rule.
Learn more →Ninth Circuit appellate practice. Direct appeals, 2255 motions, and post-conviction relief under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.
Learn more →The window before charges are filed: target letters, grand jury subpoenas, search warrants, and the defenses that must be raised by pretrial motion.
Learn more →Former federal prosecutor. As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, John Kirby knows how federal investigations are structured, how charging decisions are made, and how these cases are tried.
A decade as a federal prosecutor, followed by years in federal courtrooms, gives the Research Desk firsthand knowledge of how the government's side of a case is built. The desk's coverage centers on the Southern District of California, Central District of California, and District of Arizona, from San Diego to Los Angeles to Phoenix.
Reference Library
Depth pages on the federal process, each linked to the statute or rule it describes.
Questions about this guide can be sent through the contact form. Submissions go to the site's regular intake and are not a direct line to any attorney.
Recent reference posts from the Research Desk blog.
Why the mitigation record should be assembled before the presentence report — the 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors and the guideline framework of 28 U.S.C. § 994.
Objections below, the 14-day notice of appeal deadline, and appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.
The pre-indictment window: warrant challenges and the defenses that must be raised by pretrial motion.
Sources listed above were accessed and verified on August 20, 2026. Statutes and rules are quoted from the linked primary pages as published on that date. Information on this site is general in nature and is not legal advice.
Published by the Corydon Law Research Desk — John D. Kirby, publisher — former federal prosecutor. This page is reference information about federal law and procedure, not legal advice.
