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FIGHT YOUR FEDERAL CRIMINAL CHARGE WITH PA’S TOP-RANKED DEFENSE LAWYER

When facing criminal charges on the federal level, you are going up against the United States government and its endless sea of resources. The U.S. Justice Department and its multitude of police agencies have the budget and resources to employ highly sophisticated and technical methods of criminal investigation. Not only do federal prosecutors use their skill to aggressively pursue cases and enjoy a high win percentage, they also hand out sentences more severe than state court sentences.

While the federal government does its best to stack the chips against you, a highly-skilled and experienced Philadelphia federal criminal defense attorney can help even the deck. Our team of knowledgeable federal defense lawyers stands ready to aggressively defend you in this complex and high-stakes legal arena.

Are you Fighting a Federal Criminal Case?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) ABOUT FEDERAL CASES

1. I’m facing federal charges, what should I do? 

Move quickly. Get an experienced attorney

You or a loved one may have recently become aware that you are the target of a federal investigation. This could be an extremely stressful and shocking event. People find out they are the targets of the federal investigation by receiving a target letter, being contacted by federal law-enforcement, by being arrested by federal law-enforcement, and in some cases someone who is facing state court charges may find out that their case is being “adopted” or taken over by the federal government.

If you are facing federal charges it is extremely important that you take swift action and find a highly competent and experienced federal criminal lawyer to guide you through the process and advise you on what the best course of action is for your particular case. The main federal courthouse is located at seventh and Market Street in Philadelphia and most federal criminal defense attorneys practicing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are also located in Philadelphia.

As you will quickly learn, federal cases move much faster than state-level cases and the penalties are much more severe. It is not uncommon for a federal case to get to trial within six months when similar state level cases can take years.

Because of the speed at which federal courts move, persons facing federal criminal charges must make very important decisions very little time there by heavily relying on their attorney’s expertise and guidance to make the right decision. At the beginning of a new federal criminal case in Philadelphia, An individual facing charges may have multiple options available to resolve the case other than fighting against the federal government at trial. However, as time passes, and often very quickly, different options may no longer be available indoors will close leaving the accused with the option of either pleading guilty as charged or going to trial.

Frequently, individuals facing federal criminal charges in Philadelphia have no choice but to go to trial or may not be interested in compromising with the government making trial the only option, however, even if your immediate inclination is to fight it is important that you fully discuss that important decision with an experienced Philadelphia federal criminal lawyer.

Attorney Evan Hughes, the principal of Hughes Law, has been practicing federal criminal defense since 2006. He has handled dozens of federal criminal cases in Philadelphia, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the middle District of Pennsylvania, and other federal districts across the country including United States District Court for the district of New Jersey, United States District Court for the district of Connecticut, and United States District Court for the district of North Dakota. 

Evan Hughes is admitted to practice law in the state of Pennsylvania, the state of New York, as well as the federal districts of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the middle District of Pennsylvania, and United States District Court for the district of New Jersey and North Dakota. If you have a federal criminal case in another jurisdiction Evan Hughes will often work with local counsel in that district and move for admission pro hac vice at no additional cost to the client. 

2. I am facing federal criminal charges, will I be able to get Bail?

Bail, or “pretrial release” is available on all federal criminal cases unless the charges fall into a category known as “presumptive detention cases.”

If your case falls into the category of a presumptive detention case then the burden falls on the accused to prove to the court that they are not a danger to the community and not a flight risk and that Bail should be ordered. 

Typically, in any given Federal criminal case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, or other federal district, Bail is an option, is granted, and the main question is how much will the bail be and will the accused need to wear a GPS ankle monitor while on pretrial release. Persons face in general criminal charges can satisfy the bail requirement in a number of different ways and through the use of various different assets such as securities, cash, and real estate.

If however you are facing charges that fall into the presumptive detention category such as a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime do you have a much more difficult road ahead to obtaining Bail and you will have to prove to the court that despite the serious nature of the charges you are facing you should still be granted Bail. It goes without saying that persons facing serious charges that fall into the presumptive detention category need an experienced federal criminal lawyer. 

3. I have been contacted by Federal law Enforcement but I have not been arrested, do I need a lawyer?

Yes. If you have been contacted by federal law-enforcement you should immediately retain and experience federal criminal lawyer to discuss the interaction and to obtain advice in guidance on what to do next and what may be coming. 

Often, when law-enforcement makes contact with an individual whether they are the primary target of A federal criminal investigation or merely a potential witness, it is critical that that individual have the advice and guidance of an experienced federal criminal lawyer even if law-enforcement agents advise that an attorney is not needed.

The Federal Court Process

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has jurisdiction over Philadelphia and all of eastern Pennsylvania, including:

  • Philadelphia County
  • Bucks County
  • Delaware County
  • Berks County
  • Chester County
  • Montgomery County
  • Lehigh County
  • Lancaster County
  • Northampton County

While any criminal charge should be taken seriously, federal charges are the most difficult to defend and bring the harshest penalties. Many people charged with federal crimes are surprised to learn that federal courts and state courts differ in a number of ways.

Firstly, the federal court system operates by a different set of rules regarding evidence. If you are being prosecuted in a federal court, you will need an attorney with years of experience who is familiar with federal rules pertaining to evidence. Federal judges also operate according to mandatory federal sentencing guidelines.

Thanks to these and other differences, it is much more difficult to fight federal criminal charges. Due to their vast resources, federal agencies are typically able to produce a substantial amount of evidence for federal prosecution. Unlike state prosecutors with heavy caseloads, federal prosecutors enjoy the benefit of having more time to devote to every case. Therefore, they only file criminal charges when they have sufficient evidence to build what they feel is a very strong case.

The federal criminal process starts with a defendant making their first appearance. A detention hearing is then set within three days of the initial appearance. The next step is an arraignment, which is followed by status conferences. Finally, a formal trial takes place, and if found guilty, a defendant will undergo sentencing.

In order to effectively represent a defendant in a federal criminal investigation or trial, the defense counsel must have extensive knowledge of federal criminal rules and statues. They must also have experience dealing with federal agencies and offices. These prerequisites are necessary for a federal criminal defense attorney to effectively cooperate with government agencies and build a strong and vigorous defense.

Defending You in Federal Court

Our firm of experienced federal criminal defense attorneys takes great pride in aggressively defending clients facing a multitude of federal charges, including:

  • White-collar crimes – Money laundering, wire fraud, mail fraud, credit card fraud, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud, and other crimes involving large amounts of capital across state lines
  • Federal drug crimes – Drug trafficking, drug dealing, drug distributing, drug manufacturing, drug conspiracy, and any drug crimes in violation of RICO laws
  • Federal sex crimes – Distribution of child pornography, sex tourism, interstate solicitation of minors, Internet sex crimes, and other sex crimes that transcend state lines
  • Violent crimes – Murder, assault, acts of terrorism, and other organized illegal acts of violence
  • Copyright infringement – Copyright violations involving movies, music, clothing, and other physical and intellectual goods
  • Weapons offenses – Federal charges involving weapons, such as illegal sales, possession, distribution, and so on

If you suspect you may be under federal investigation or have been charged with a federal crime, you should contact our experienced Philadelphia federal defense firm today. With decades of experience representing clients in federal court, our highly-skilled defense attorneys have successfully defended clients in federal drug cases, federal gun cases, federal fraud and white-collar crime cases. We take great pride in providing each and every client with the skilled advocacy and critical advice they need to successfully defend against federal criminal charges or avoid federal indictment.

To learn more about Pennsylvania and federal criminal defense or to benefit from a confidential case evaluation, contact our experienced and revered federal defense firm today.

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