I person that I know got a criminal case. And they made it Federal he got sentenced to 12 years and has got to serve 85% of it. If it were to be county he would only had to serve 50% instead of 85%. Can a lawyer change that?
2006-12-09 11:14:31 · 4 answers · asked by ani 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
I assume your "friend" had a lawyer and he was helpless as to it being local or federal. It's usually a no-win situation after the fact, especially with federal prosecutors.
2006-12-09 11:22:06 · answer #1 · answered by Mr.Wise 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First there are many courts. City, County, State, And Federal.
County covers 1 or cities. This is were major crimes for the area to tried.
Federal is were cases tried for crimes against the US are tried.
For your friend to be tried in federal court they had to brake a federal law, or the state didn't want it, or they broke both state and federal laws, and the higher court took the case. The higher court being federal.
You can brake a state law and still be tried in federal court.
The sentence why 85% it could be from the crime. If it's bad enough, that's why the sentence was what it is.
It's doubt full a lawyer can get this time cut in half.
2006-12-09 14:34:43 · answer #2 · answered by pgmurry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry but no. Federal means the crime went across state lines therefore it belongs to neither state so federal gets the case.
2006-12-09 11:28:16 · answer #3 · answered by Enigma 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am going say that it depends on WHERE the crime happens on whose jurisdiction it is.
For instance...here in MI, there was a murder in one of the National Forests up north. That isn't State property...it is a NATIONAL forest...so therefore, it is a federal issue.
Timothy McVeigh (did I spell his last name right??)....that was a federal building...federal case..that is why he was in the fed pen.
2006-12-09 11:58:56 · answer #4 · answered by retrowfmk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋