Find a Criminal Law -- Federal Lawyer Continued…

Federal criminal attorneys also commonly work with issues having to do with federal prisons and prisoners' rights. Another area that falls under the expertise of criminal law is death penalty cases. Criminal attorneys may also handle cases having to do with juvenile offenses when they are of a federal nature, although most juvenile cases fall within state jurisdiction. Some of the most common federal statutes under which people are charged of crimes include: mail fraud (fraud conducted using the U.S. mail system), money laundering (the process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money), RICO (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, which regulates insider trading), obstruction of justice (impeding court proceedings), drug related offenses (the manufacture, use, possession or distribution of illegal drug products), and conspiracy (a secret agreement between at least two people to engage in an illegal act or acts). Other examples of federal criminal cases include prosecution for federal tax fraud, terrorist and national security threats, counterfeiting, weapons charges, kidnapping and some instances of murder. Since the federal criminal system has unique rules and procedures, it is vital for someone being prosecuted within the system to have not only an experienced criminal attorney, but a criminal attorney with federal court experience. Attorney referrals can be found online or through the American Bar Association. When someone is convicted of a crime, if he cannot afford a private attorney, he has the right to a court-appointed defense attorney. Federal criminal prosecution lawyers work directly for the federal government. Court appointed defense lawyers may work for the government or may private attorneys assigned to the case. By Ann MacDonald