UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION - 2026 National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines
August 18 - 20 | Chicago, IL
Registration for the 2026 National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines is now open. Please visit our registration website and select the “Register” button to reserve your spot.
- There are separate registrations for the event hotel and the seminar. Registering for the seminar does not reserve your hotel room. Also, cancelling your seminar registration does not impact your hotel reservation. You will need to manage the two independently, and only seminar attendees are eligible to receive the government hotel lodging rate.
- USSC is unable to assist with hotel reservations; please contact the hotel directly if you have any questions. Hotel contact info is provided on the seminar registration website.
If you have concerns that are not discussed on the registration website, please contact NationalSeminar@USSC.gov.
CAPITAL MITIGATION SKILLS WORKSHOP
September 24 – Sunday, September 27, 2026, Austin, Texas
The Capital Mitigation Skills Workshop will consist of a combination of lectures and interactive exercises designed to develop the basic skills required in the development of mitigation evidence in death penalty cases. Utilizing a case hypothetical, participants will brainstorm potential mitigation themes and identify “red flags” requiring investigation. Life-history records will also be reviewed with an eye towards developing mitigation themes, hypotheses, questions, and investigative follow-up. Interviewing exercises in small groups will cover a variety of areas, including trauma, the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, cognitive impairments and adaptive deficits, environmental factors such as racism, community violence, and neurotoxins. Participants will be asked to interview a variety of different witnesses, and to draft a declaration. The seminar provides a wealth or resources, including a sample of a basic mitigation tool kit (including genograms and chronologies).
View details and to register click: HERE
2026 BAR ASSOCIATION of the FIFTH FEDERAL CIRCUIT Annual Appellate Advocacy Seminar
October 5 - 6, New Orleans.
A two-day, 10-hour seminar providing practical advice on appellate practice from Fifth Circuit Judges, the Court and seasoned attorneys. This seminar offers a circuit judges panel, clerk of court update, writing workshop, ethics, professionalism, current issues before the Supreme Court, circuit splits, and updates on criminal and civil practice. Registrants have the opportunity to observe oral arguments at the John Minor Wisdom Courthouse.
Cost is $325/$250.00 (Government)
LA CLE approved (10 hours includes 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of professionalism)
TX CLE approved (10 hours includes 2 hours of ethics)
MS CLE applied for (10 hours includes 2 hour of ethics)
View details and to register click: HERE