These guides cover the core of federal criminal practice: the statutes that define federal offenses, the deadlines that apply to federal charges, and how defendants evaluate counsel. Each guide cites the statute text it relies on.
Federal prosecutions proceed in the district courts under 18 U.S.C. § 3231, which provides:
“The district courts of the United States shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all offenses against the laws of the United States.”
The structure of that court system is described by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts:
“In the federal system, 94 district courts are organized into 12 regional circuits. Each circuit has its own court of appeals that reviews cases decided in U.S. district courts within the circuit.”
- Understanding Federal Criminal Law: A Comprehensive Guide — the statutes that define federal offenses, the courts that hear them, and how a federal prosecution proceeds.
- Statute of Limitations in Federal Criminal Cases — the five-year rule of 18 U.S.C. § 3282, capital offenses under § 3281, and the Speedy Trial Act.
- Choosing an Attorney in a Federal Criminal Case — a research note on evaluating counsel and the statutory right to appointed counsel under 18 U.S.C. § 3006A.
- Client Communication Process for Federal Criminal Cases — Overview of how clients communicate with federal criminal defense attorneys regarding their case details.