How the United States Handles Federal Cases in Maryland

Article III of the United States Constitution established the federal judicial branch, such as the Supreme Court with other federal courts. The federal courts have the authority to handle criminal law, international disputes, and civil cases.

The federal courts possess limited judicial powers to exercise upon the civil and criminal cases in the federal court system.

These courts, established by the United States Constitution, handle the authorized cases following the federal statutes. Moreover, the federal court system can only exercise original jurisdiction.

If you are facing a federal criminal charge, you should know that federal laws guide this type of charge. Offenses of this nature usually have a specified range of sentencing.

Officials of the law with the guidance from specific federal procedures and rules work out the prosecution within the range of sentencing by picking their preferred charges to file against you.

Federal Court System: Understanding How It Works

The federal court handling the cases for Maryland was established under the Federal Judiciary Act of 1789.

The court has two divisions, its Northern division in Baltimore and Southern division in Greenbelt. The respective places for each division hold the hearings for the federal cases.

The U.S. Attorney General is the country’s foremost prosecutor – every federal criminal case goes through this office. The United States Attorney General heads this office, and there are other attorneys in this office.

These attorneys work for the government and handle the assigned federal criminal cases. As long as the case is federal, the U.S. Attorney’s office is in charge of prosecuting the case. In other words, they are the country’s judicial force.

Handling of Criminal Procedure at the Federal Level

Federal officials follow the FRCP, or Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, when handling the criminal prosecution process. The idea is to grant the defendant in every federal case a fair trial at all levels.

Also, the Constitution offers fundamental rights and protections for every defendant, which are:

• Freedom to get a lawyer
• The right to confront a witness to the proceeding
• The right to a jury trial
• Protection against unreasonable search and seizure
• The right against self-incrimination
• The right to due process

Criminal Procedures in the Federal Court System

For criminal cases, the judicial process begins with the U.S. Attorney acting as the main prosecutor and the grand jury being the reviewer of the investigation and evidence.

The federal court system has a restricted pre-trial procedure in order to protect the identity of the informants, witnesses, and evidence before the commencement of the actual trial.

When clear evidence of a federal crime at the federal level turns up, prosecutors and judges have to follow the criminal procedure. If they do not follow this, the case could be thrown out of court without any hearing or appeals.

Procedure of Court Hearings

The court hearings for the federal criminal cases follow a definite order that ensures a fair trial of the defendants. These procedures are:

• A licensed official of the federal court system issues an arrest warrant based on the collected evidence gathered with proper procedure. The warrant explains the crime committed and the cause, albeit probable cause of arrest.
• The defendant makes a first appearance. A judge determines the released conditions and if the defendant qualifies for a public defender. 
• A detention hearing from the prosecutor will determine if you need to be kept away from the community or if you are a flight risk.
• Within ten days of your arrest, the federal court system has to hold an initial hearing where the prosecutors have to establish probable cause. This is also where your lawyer makes their first appearance. 
• If your judge can find probable cause, a grand jury hears the case and makes the decision whether to indict the defendant. The grand jury holds the power to go through all the investigative discoveries that prove your criminal case.
• You plead guilty or not guilty in another arraignment, and this must not be later than 10 days after the indictment has been served.

Other Procedures

• Your prosecutor and defense attorney can negotiate an agreement after your plea. If there is no plea bargain, the federal court system will instigate the different pretrial motions.
• The case then goes to trial, and the federal district court judge and a jury hear the evidence and corresponding expert and witness testimony. The jury gets to review the evidence and make informed decisions about the case.
• When you are proven innocent, you are free to go. The federal court system cannot try you for the same case ever again, as it falls under the principle of double jeopardy.
• If the jury gives a guilty verdict, the case goes to sentencing. The prosecutors present your details and how your offense impacts the victims.  The judge then proceeds to give a sentence.

Sentencing for Criminal Court Cases

In the federal court system, the prosecutor handles the burden and the responsibility of proving the defendant guilty.

The prosecutor must prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Afterward, the jury must unanimously give a final verdict and the judge gives the sentencing.

Upon being proven guilty, the judge gives the sentence for the criminal case based on the U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines. Along with the consideration of all the details of your case.

The sentencing for federal crime differs in various levels. It may ask you to pay a certain amount as fine to the government, compensate the victims or serve time in prison for the criminal activities.

Moreover, the probation officers of the federal court system duly follow the court’s orders and conditions imposed on the defendant.

The defendant may be supervised for various activities that include misuse of illegal substances. Also, as some alternative methods of detention, the government provides treatment and counselling programs for the defendant.

Know your Rights in the Federal Court system

“Federal charges against you are quite serious, and you should look to hire an attorney as soon as the charges are levied against you,” says attorney Rammy Barbari.

Your lawyer will be able to give you solid advice. Federal prosecutors know how to get the job done, and having an experienced lawyer helps level the playing field.

So, if you are ever caught up in some federal criminal cases, make sure you know your rights and how the court proceedings will go.

Also, seek advice from your lawyer during such instances in order to handle the case easily without any worries. Staying informed about such situations can always come in handy.

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