BIRMINGHAM FEDERAL CRIMES ATTORNEY
Birmingham Federal Crime Defense
Federal crimes violate federal U.S. laws, as opposed to simply a state law. If you’ve been charged with a federal crime, federal agencies will investigate the case and you will be tried by federal courts. The penalties for these crimes are usually more severe than for state crimes, as federal charges all carry mandatory minimum prison sentences.
You can also expect federal courts to invest more money and greater resources into the investigation and trial. This is why it is so important to enlist the help of a skilled Birmingham criminal defense attorney to protect your rights.
Being accused of a federal crime is a serious matter.
If you are in this situation, do not hesitate to call our federal crimes lawyer at (205)-536-7770 for legal help today. Being well-versed in federal courts, we can aggressively defend you and fight for the best possible outcome.
Crimes that break federal legislation include:
- Crimes committed on federal property, including federal courthouses, national parks, prisons, Indian reservations, and post offices.
- Violating a commerce law, such as transporting drugs or firearms over state lines illegally
- Crimes involving the U.S. postal service, such as using the mail for fraudulent activity or mailing illegal drugs or dangerous substances
- Tax Fraud
- White Collar Crimes, including forgery, identity theft, insider trading, extortion, embezzlement
- Drug crimes that involve a large quantity of illegal substances, or drug crimes that involve crossing state lines or national borders
- Computer crimes like hacking, fraud, and cyber attacks
What is the difference between state and federal criminal cases?
While there are a handful of differences between state and federal cases, we have explained a few below:
- Differing court systems - when you are facing state charges, the consequences may be specific to the state in which you committed the crime. However, if you are facing federal charges, you are up against the laws of the entire U.S. and would benefit to hire an attorney with experience handling federal crimes.
- Different processes, rules and laws - federal crimes often are accompanied by an official indictment by a grand jury, where as with state charges, a preliminary investigation and grand jury are often not required...because of these things, the timing may vary for state and federal trials.
Contact us today for more information or to get defense from an attorney experienced in federal criminal defense.
Can you be tried under both state and federal law?
Some crimes that fall under the category “federal offense” may also be forbidden by a particular state’s laws. For example, Alabama law forbids drug trafficking, but depending on the circumstances of the offense, it may also violate federal law.
Although the U.S. constitution protects a person from being tried for the same crime twice (an injustice known as “double jeopardy”), it is still possible to undergo a state trial in addition to a federal trial for the same offense. Because the state courts are separate from federal, the offense will not be considered the “same crime” in both trials. However, it is less common to undergo two trials like this; in most instances, you will only be tried by whichever court is deemed most appropriate for the situation.
We Are Here to Protect Your Future!
Attorney Jay Tidwell has 17 years of experience advocating for the accused. He is committed to protecting his clients’ rights and futures from the harsh, life-changing penalties they are facing. We proudly serve individuals accused of federal crime throughout Jefferson County, Shelby County, Birmingham City, and surrounding areas.
