The New Landscape: 2025 Sentencing Guidelines Amendments and Advocacy Strategies

Michelle Camacho, FBA Vice President of Legal Education; Amy Brammell, Assistant U.S. Attorney; Jessie Agatstein, Federal Defender; and the Honorable Ruth B. Montenegro, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California (Left to Right)

On August 26, 2025, the San Diego Federal Bar Association hosted a presentation titled, "The New Landscape: 2025 Sentencing Guidelines Amendments and Advocacy Strategies," with nearly 80 guests in attendance. The program featured the Honorable Ruth B. Montenegro, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California; Amy Brammell, Assistant U.S. Attorney; and Jessie Agatstein, Federal Defender.

Judge Montenegro gave important updates from the Ninth Circuit Criminal Law Committee.

AUSA Brammell discussed the simplification of applying the guidelines, drug offenses, and circuit conflicts. Specifically, she explained the application instructions in 1B1.1 and the elimination of departures; role reductions and fentanyl-related increases; and amendments to 2B3.1 (robbery) and 4A1.2 (computing criminal history).

FD Agatstein spoke on supervised release and probation, firearms offenses, and news from the sentencing commission. She discussed amendments to Chapters 5 and 7; machine gun conversion devices; and policy priorities and retroactivity.

The written materials are available here.

The San Diego FBA thanks the panelists for volunteering their time and sharing their expertise with the community. Special thanks to Vice President of Criminal Legal Education Michelle Camacho for organizing this event, and the dedicated members of the Legal Education Committee—Arshi Baig, Carmen Shenassa, Carson Baucher, and Dacely Garcia—for their invaluable programming support. Last but not least, thank you to the San Diego County Bar Association Criminal Law Section for co-sponsoring this event.