As a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer, I am often called upon to represent clients in a federal criminal court case. These type of cases differ greatly from criminal cases in State Court and that is why it is important to hire a criminal defense attorney who has experience in representing clients before the criminal courts.

What Happens When a Person is Arrested on Federal Charges

Initial Appearance

A federal criminal case starts out much like any other with the initial appearance. This takes place before a Magistrate judge and is usually done on the day of the arrest. At the hearing, the criminal defense attorney will generally plead not guilty on his client's behalf and start the process.

Because the federal criminal hearings happen so quickly it is a good idea to retain federal criminal lawyer in advance if you are made aware of a criminal investigation. Nonetheless, most experienced federal criminal lawyers will know the drill and be able to make arrangements to appear even on short notice.

Release of the Defendant

Unlike state courts that follow strict bail rules for release, the federal criminal system creates several options for a Defendant facing federal criminal charges. The court may order a traditional cash bail where a person uses a bail agent to post a set amount of money. The Defendant may also be released on a signature bond with simply a promise to appear at all scheduled court dates. Likewise, a Defendant may also be released with a signature after either the Defendant or another person on the federal criminal Defendant's behalf puts up collateral, such as a house or other valuable property, to secure the Defendant's attendance in court.

As a federal criminal defense attorney, I have been able to secure my client's release in a number of creative ways. The key is to know how the system works and be able to use that knowledge to my clients' benefit. That is why it is important to hire an experience federal criminal defense lawyer to handle a federal criminal case.

After The First Appearance

At the first appearance, a federal criminal case is generally assigned to the Federal Judge who will oversee the case to completion. Judges in federal criminal cases have a lot of leeway on how to handle their cases and a lot of what will happen next will depend on the individual federal judge's procedures.

That is why it is crucial to retain the services of a federal criminal defense attorney Having someone on your side that is not only a zealous advocate but also the knows how the system works can mean the difference between going to federal prison for a long time and freedom.

The Bottom Line

Knowing what to do in a federal criminal case requires an attorney to have the know-how and experience to properly handle his client's case. The summary above is just that, a summary. It cannot replace the insight of a federal criminal defense attorney.

When someone is arrested this should be the first call that anyone makes on their behalf. At Sigal Law Group we offer a free initial consultation and case review. If you or a loved one are facing federal criminal charges, contact us and call today (818) 325-0570 .