Marshall Division

Federal Sentencing in Harrison County (Marshall) — Facts, Myths & Figures

Harrison County is the seat of the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas. The Sam B. Hall Jr. Federal Building is the primary courthouse. Because Marshall handles cases from a wide swath of East Texas, its criminal docket is a good bellwether for what to expect across the district.

Quick facts

Federal court: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas — Marshall Division
Courthouse: Sam B. Hall Jr. Federal Building, 100 E. Houston St., Marshall, TX
County seat: Marshall
Population (est.): About 68,000
Most common federal charges: Drug conspiracy, felon-in-possession, ID theft

The role of criminal history in Marshall cases

Criminal history is scored under Chapter 4. A single prior sentence over 13 months counts 3 points; a sentence between 60 days and 13 months counts 2 points. Six or more points puts a defendant in Category III, which materially raises the guideline range at every offense level.

Career offender status under §4B1.1 — two prior felony convictions for a crime of violence or a controlled-substance offense — can double the guideline range. Marshall judges apply it strictly when the priors qualify.

Myths vs. reality

Myth: Old convictions don't count.

Reality: A prior sentence is generally counted if it was imposed within the 15 years before the current offense (or if the defendant was in prison during that window).

Myth: Deferred adjudication in Texas state court doesn't count federally.

Reality: Federal probation officers usually count deferred adjudication as a prior sentence for guideline purposes, even though Texas treats it differently.

Figures worth knowing

Points for a prior sentence over 13 months+3
Criminal History Category threshold for III4–6 points
Career offender minimum offense level (statutory max ≥ 25 years)34

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Disclaimer. Eastern Texas Sentencing Calculator is an educational tool operated by a marketing company. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Nothing in this article creates an attorney-client relationship.