Texas and Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer

When it comes to criminal law, there are two distinct bodies of government that have been charged with investigating and ultimately prosecuting offenses. They are the state government and the federal government, and while neither situation is one that anyone would want to be involved in, there are important differences between the two that should be pointed out for clarification.

Regardless of the differences, though, if you have been charged with either a state crime, a federal crime or both, you need to take immediate action to make sure that your rights are properly enforced and protected. Contact the Law Office of Frank A. Perez as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation in order to get this process started.

Federal Crimes Needing Criminal Defense

Federal crimes are usually offenses that involve some sort of crossing of state lines, thereby giving rise to federal jurisdiction. This is not always the case, as the federal government will also get involved with crimes that deal directly with the United States Constitution, such as charges that someone has violated another person’s civil rights. However, crossing state lines does not mean that one needs to physically do so. For instance, running an Internet scam where money is collected from different states could be considered a federal crime.
Aside from jurisdiction, there are other differences. If you are being investigated for a federal crime, it’s likely you’ll be questioned by a federal agency such as the FBI, the DEA or the ATF. If you’re ultimately charged with a crime, you’ll be prosecuted by a US Attorney at a federal courthouse. Finally, you could also face different sentencing circumstances in federal court, as federal judges are generally required to follow strict sentencing guidelines, and studies show that inmates serve an average of more than 80% of their sentence before being released.

Texas State Crimes and Criminal Defense

State crimes are offenses that occur within the state, and Texas authorities are the ones tasked with investigating and prosecuting these crimes. Almost any crime can be prosecuted by the state, and instead of the law enforcement bodies you’d encounter above in a federal case, you’d likely be questioned by the state police, the sheriff or even the local police, depending on what happened and where.
If you are ultimately charged with a state-level crime, you’ll be prosecuted by the county district attorney, and a local judge will preside over the proceedings at the county courthouse. If you are convicted, you will also face harsh penalties, but could obtain an earlier release, but that again depends on the circumstances.

Contact a Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer

Regardless of the particulars of the situation, if you have been charged with either a State or Federal crime, you need to act now to retain a criminal defense attorney. Contact the Law Office of Frank A. Perez today to schedule an initial consultation and to get the process of building a strong defense started.

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