Dallas-Fort Worth Federal Crimes Lawyer

When defendants decide what attorney they will entrust the fight for freedom and reputation to, it’s important to have a lawyer who is skilled in investigating the specific crime involved, to be sure. But when the federal government is handling the prosecution, it is no less crucial to have counsel that is familiar with just how different federal court is to the state and county circuits. 

At T. Baker Law, our Dallas-Fort Worth federal crimes lawyer has over 14 years of experience offering clients sensible legal strategies combined with passionate representation. We serve people throughout the Metroplex area.

Call today at (214) 777-5346 or contact us online to set up a consultation. Payment plans are available.

When Does a Crime Become a Federal Offense? 

The jurisdiction of the federal government is limited by the U.S. Constitution, although the nature of technology has made those limitations far less meaningful than was the case in the late 18th century. 

For example, federal law enforcement can get jurisdiction when a crime involves people in two different states. In today’s day and age, the ease of communication mean that potential defendants in both Texas and Oklahoma may have collaborated on the same alleged crime. And if the feds really want to get involved in a case, the mere fact that communication platforms—from email to phone service providers—were used in the planning or commission of the crime can result in federal jurisdiction. 

Federal jurisdiction also applies when potential defendants have citizenship in another country or if an alleged crime happened on federal property (i.e., a federal courthouse). 

It is also important to point out that federal and state authorities can both file charges for the same crime. This means separate trials in the different circuits. Furthermore, double jeopardy—the constitutional prohibition against trying a person for the same crime twice—only applies within the same circuit. Therefore, acquittal in one circuit will not necessarily lead to dismissal of charges—or even acquittal—in the other. 

Why Federal Court Is Different

The basics of law—the need to present evidence in a compelling and persuasive way, and the requirement that the prosecution prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, are present regardless of whether a case is heard in state or federal court. 

But the ebb and flow of cases is often different in federal court. A prime example is that federal prosecutors typically have a lower caseload then does a state-level District Attorney. This means the prosecution will likely be more detail-oriented, and perhaps less likely to make a favorable plea bargain arrangement, as they have more time to pursue the trial. The defense lawyer must be ready to rise to this challenge. 

The same lower caseload means that judges can be more deliberate in the pace at which a trial is heard. This again, calls for a heightened attention to detail and real experience with how the federal system operates.