Steps Taken When Charged With Federal Crimes
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At certain times, one may be charged of federal crime. Knowing the necessary steps to be taken when charged of a federal crime is extremely useful in helping you come out of the problem when such situation arises.
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Bank fraud, computer fraud and hacking, bribery, tax evasion, embezzlements, credit card fraud, and extortion are some examples of the federal crimes. There are also other crimes like healthcare crime, Medicare fraud, theft, cyber crime against children etc which come under federal crime.
Once there is a certain crime charged against you, the first thing is that you will receive an arrest warrant. Once the judge receives and evaluates the evidence, if the evidence proves that the accused is guilty, the judge sends an arrest warrant. The police authority then acts to find and locate the person using the resources available and then arrests the person.
After arrest, before being sent to the police department, the accused will be made to read Miranda rights. Then at the police precinct there will be certain procedures liking taking the fingerprints and photographs and then the person will be imprisoned. Until the court hearing, the person will be required to stay in jail.
To continue with the legal proceedings to prove you are innocent, you must hire a lawyer to represent you in the court. The accused will be allowed to contact attorney when in jail. You have all rights to choose the lawyer you wish to.
Federal crime charges are serious and if proven guilty it may have a great impact on your life. Hence, choosing a good lawyer who can handle the case efficiently, thereby proving you innocent, is very important. Selecting a lawyer is one of the most important steps which can help wave off all the charges against you.
Once hired, the attorney will discuss the case with you and decide what next steps are to be taken. The court hearing will be in 48 hours of arrest. For temporarily, getting out of jail, until the hearing, you can apply for bail through the lawyer. The court first has an arraignment which is a legal procedure for entering the plea of the case. Here the judge hears the case and you will be required to enter either a guilty or not guilty plea. The person who is guilty can apply for a not guilty plea if he/she has sufficient evidence to prove their innocence, or if there is insufficient evidence to prove the person's guilt.
The plea of not guilty will require a trial in court where the prosecutor and defense attorneys work their best to prove that they are correct. The prosecutor tries to prove the accused person's guilt, while the defense lawyer tries to prove that the accused is innocent. The jury, depending on the evidence provided, decides if the accused is guilty or not guilty. If the accused is found guilty, there will be imprisonment and also other punishments like fines etc.
If the accused is found innocent, he or she can be absolved of all the charges and the person also gets back the bail amount that he or she paid. This will free the person from the stress of having to pay a penalty or spend time in jail. So, choosing a best lawyer or attorney who can fight and win your case is very crucial. Before hiring a lawyer, consider the experience and knowledge the attorney has in handling federal crimes.
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