Federal Crimes

Federal v. State Charges

Federal crimes are offenses that specifically violate U.S. federal laws. Federal offenses are prosecuted by government agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and can at times carry worse penalties than those levied by state courts.

Federal v. State Courts

Both the states and the federal government have the power to prosecute individuals for criminal offenses; each having its own separate court system.

Any issues that deal with a violation of federal statutes or the United States constitution fall within the federal court system's jurisdiction and will therefore be prosecuted in federal courts. In total, there are 94 District Courts and 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals in the federal court system.

If you are under investigation by a federal agency or have already been indicted on federal charges, you should consider contacting a criminal defense attorney immediately.