Each state has its criminal justice system made up of legislative bodies that enact criminal laws and the policing agencies that enforce them. The same is true for the federal criminal justice system. Federal Department of Justice The Department of Justice leads the federal justice system. The federal justice system has jurisdiction over crimes involving […]

The federal court system is made up of three interconnected judicial levels: 94 District Courts (Trial Courts), 13 Circuit Courts (Appellate Courts), 1 Supreme Court (Highest Court In The Land) District Courts – Federal Trial Courts The federal district courts are the federal trial courts. Each federal judicial district court has at least one Federal […]

There are many different types of criminal defense lawyers. Most spend their time in state courts defending clients in state criminal actions. Other criminal defense attorney practice in both federal and state courts. This article focuses mainly on the federal criminal defense attorney. Federal Criminal Defense Attorneys If you are a target in a federal […]

This article covers questions you may have on the pre-indictment phase in Federal Court. It covers the period before a Grand Jury is empaneled to hear the prosecutor’s evidence against you based on their criminal investigation so far.  At this point, charges have not been filed, but prosecutors and agents will likely still investigate you. […]

At the sentencing hearing, both the prosecutor and defense counsel will have reviewed the probation report and supporting documents and statements. Counsel will present their respective sentencing arguments to the court. The offender will also be present. The defense will argue there are mitigating circumstances supporting a reduced sentence, while the prosecution will argue there are aggravating factors to support an enhanced sentence.

The discovery sought depends on the type of criminal case being prosecuted. For example, if the case being prosecuted is drunk driving, the defense will seek discovery of the police report, witness statements, video, and the breathalyzer results. The defense will also request the maintenance and calibration records of the subject breathalyzer to determine if […]

The fundamental rights of the accused emanate from the fourth (search and seizure, and the rights upon arrest), fifth (due process, self-incrimination, grand jury), and Sixth Amendment (rights of those charged in a criminal proceeding) of the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights. This article addresses the rights of the accused in criminal proceedings. According to […]

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, administers the federal prison system. As of 2024, BOP operates 122 prison facilities nationwide, including minimum-security prison camps, medium-security correctional institutions, high-security penitentiaries, and administrative facilities that handle special needs. Locating a Prisoner in Federal Prison You can use the Federal […]

This article covers the concerns and questions white-collar criminal suspects have when facing federal criminal charges and possibly prison. Facing White Collar Criminal Charges Getting Your Questions Answered Should you be a criminal  target of a federal white-collar investigation, you will likely have many concerns and questions, such as: How does federal law enforcement investigate white-collar […]

Due to today’s search technology, nearly anyone has informational access to other people’s lives, including whether someone has a criminal record. According to the American Progress for Justice, over 70 million Americans have a criminal record that can come- up on background checks. Criminal Records are Publicly Accessible Purpose of Expungement The primary purpose of expunging […]