If you have been charged with a federal crime, it’s always in your best interest to hire an attorney to represent you throughout the legal process. An attorney may be able to help you obtain a favorable outcome in your case, which would likely be a plea deal that involves minimal jail time. Let’s take a look at a few of the federal crimes that people are most likely to be charged with as well as some more reasons why you need to hire a Seattle Federal Criminal Lawyers to help with your case.
What Constitutes a Federal Crime?
There are several reasons why a person might face a federal charge as opposed to a state charge. For example, if you are caught violating the law on land owned by the federal government, you will likely be prosecuted by that entity. If you commit a crime that involves victims in multiple states, the federal government will likely have jurisdiction in that case. In most cases, violations of immigration laws are handled at the federal level as opposed to the state level.
Which Federal Laws are Violated Most Often?
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is one of the most commonly violated federal laws currently being enforced. This legislation is designed to serve as a catch-all for federal anti-drug policies. Anyone who knowingly possesses, consumes or sells any item on that list could be subject to civil or criminal penalties.
Crimes involving computers, smartphones or other electronic devices are also fairly common. You could be charged with a federal computer crime for committing acts such as sending an email that contains malware or sending lewd pictures to someone who doesn’t want to receive them. You could also be charged with a cyber crime for altering documents using a computer or for hacking into a government server.
If you cross the border without permission to do so, you will likely be charged with violating federal immigration laws. However, if you do cross the border illegally, you will likely be given a chance to claim asylum. It’s also possible that you can speed up the legal process by volunteering to go back to your home country.
Almost Anything That You Tell Your Attorney Is Kept Private
Hiring an attorney means that you have someone to talk to about your case without potentially incriminating yourself. As a general rule, everything that you say to your Seattle Federal Criminal Lawyer is privileged information. This means that your attorney cannot tell anyone about the contents of a phone call, email or conversation that takes place in his or her office.
In most cases, you can tell your attorney that you committed the crime without losing any of your legal rights. However, your counselor may be required to tell the court about any future crimes that you have said that you want to commit. This is most likely true if you talk about a desire to hurt or kill a judge, prosecutor or anyone else who is connected to your case.
However, as a general rule, you should feel confident in your ability to speak freely to your legal representative. Having the ability to do so may make it easier to build a defense that allows you to avoid a guilty verdict in your case. For example, information provided to your attorney might allow that person to find evidence of police misconduct, which could lead to a full exoneration in your matter.
An Attorney May Protect You From Providing Incriminating Statements to Others
You probably don’t know that the police are allowed to lie to those who they believe may have knowledge about a crime. Furthermore, they may also be trained to question suspects in a manner that makes it easier to extract incriminating statements from a person of interest. Therefore, it can be very easy to make yourself look guilty in the eyes of the authorities even if you have done nothing wrong.
However, an attorney will work to ensure that you don’t answer any questions that aren’t related to the case. In addition, an attorney will likely advise you not to answer any questions that you are not obligated to answer as part of an investigation. Finally, this person will generally have input into whether you should testify at trial.
In most cases, it makes sense to say as a little as possible, which means that you probably won’t take the stand. However, you may be advised to do so if it might help you gain sympathy with the jury or help to put your actions into a favorable context. It’s worth noting that you are the one who gets to decide if you testify in your case.
If you’re convicted of a federal crime, you will likely spend many years in jail. It’s also possible that you will pay a fine, be placed on probation or face other sanctions if found guilty in your case. Therefore, it’s important to hire legal counsel who may be able to take steps to improve your chances of obtaining an acquittal or favorable plea in your proceeding.
