What is a Sentencing Hearing? | Wolf Criminal Law

A sentencing hearing is one that takes place before a judge after a plea of guilty or after a trial where the defendant was found guilty of something. The hearing is to decide what sentence should be imposed. What sentence is imposed in the State of Illinois will depend greatly on what charge or charges the defendant was found guilty. In some cases, the judge can impose large fines in addition to certain monetary fees and costs. In some cases, the judge can sentence the defendant to some sort of supervised release like probation. In others, the judge can sentence the defendant to jail or even prison. There are cases where the legislature gives the judge no choice and directs the judge to sentence the defendant to certain mandatory minimums and fines.