A Closer Look at the Federal Court System

Posted By Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass || 11-Aug-2015

Defendants are often confused about the differences between state and federal court systems, and they may be unsure of whether they need a criminal defense attorney who has experience handling federal cases. If you’re facing federal charges, your criminal defense lawyer can help you understand the key differences between state and federal cases. Aside from these differences, you can expect a criminal case to proceed in much the same way in federal court as it would in state court.

Types of Federal Courts

The U.S. has a state and federal court system thanks to the principle of federalism, in which certain functions are the responsibility of the federal government, while others belong to the state government. There are different types of federal courts, such as the U.S. district courts. There are 94 federal judicial districts in the U.S., each of which has its own U.S. district court. These courts hear trials pertaining to federal charges. As with a state case, if a defendant loses a federal case, he or she can have a criminal defense attorney appeal the decision. In addition to the U.S. district courts, there are bankruptcy courts, military courts, tax courts, a court of appeals, and the Supreme Court.

Establishment of Federal Courts

The Constitution established the Supreme Court. It further authorizes Congress to establish any other court systems that may be needed. This means that Congress established the U.S. district courts. Congress also created military courts and the tax court, which are only authorized to hear certain types of cases.

Jurisdiction of Federal Courts

Federal courts are limited in the types of cases they can hear. A case will enter a federal court if it involves violations of the Constitution, one of the parties is the United States, the case is between citizens who reside in different states, or the case involves violations of federal law.

At the Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass, our veteran legal team provides dedicated representation to clients facing federal charges, including charges related to immigration, money laundering, public corruption, white collar crime cases, and many more. As a former naval officer, military lawyer, and prosecutor, Mr. Grass has a keen understanding of effective legal strategies. If you need a federal criminal lawyer in Dallas or Plano, contact us at today.