Absolutely! Being charged with a sex crime is serious no matter who brings the charge, but when it’s the feds, it’s actually a much bigger deal! This might sound like a lot of posturing and hot air, but in reality there are some very significant differences between how cases are handled at a state level, and how they’re handled in a federal court. And those differences can have a huge impact on the outcome of your case. So let’s take a look at what you’re up against here…
The feds are bound by different rules of disclosure
Unlike county prosecutors, federal prosecutors are under no obligation to provide you or your attorney with police reports or witness statements at the beginning of a criminal case. Which means you have no idea what the United States Attorneys have got on you, and the law says they don’t have to show you (which is a terrifying thought!) until later in the process. That’s why it’s so important to hire a law firm that has a criminal defense team with the capability of conducting its own in-depth and thorough investigations on your behalf. You definitely wouldn’t want to be clueless about what a witness against you is going to say about you in court!
They also have much deeper pockets
On the whole, the feds have much bigger budgets for their cases. That means the prosecutor you’re up against in a federal case (called the United States Attorney) has access to a substantial support team, and the most expensive expert witnesses who can provide whatever testimony supports their case. So what does that mean for you? It means you’re going to need a defense lawyer who is licensed to practice in federal courts here in Michigan (not all lawyers are!). And access to expert witnesses and investigators is only one reason your lawyer better be good! Obviously there’s much more to the story but trust us. It’s a different world in the federal court system.
Being accused of a sex crime by the feds is a very big deal in Michigan!
Join us next time for a look at a current case here in Michigan that captures the difference between federal and state sex crime cases, and for a look at the differences in penalties between the two. Until then, if you are unfortunate enough to have been accused of a sex crime by the federal government, call The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail). Our aggressive and experienced sex crime defense attorneys have decades of experience defending against allegations in both state and federal courts in Michigan. We’ve been doing this since last century and we’re extremely good at it, which is exactly what you need if you’re up against the feds!