Understanding Federal Law and Why You Need A Reliable Attorney

We all need lawyers at some point in our lives. Law is a broad profession, and there are different types of lawyers out there, something that makes it hard for some to know the best one for a particular situation. The most common misconception about lawyers is that every lawyer can handle every type of problem in every court.

The attorneys at Birrell Law Firm are reputable Minneapolis Federal Criminal Defense attorneys. They represent people and companies that are either being prosecuted or investigated by the government. They have practiced for many years in federal court. Crimes vary in nature, but most of the ‘toughest’ crimes, that are the hardest to beat and carry the most severe penalties, are those charged by federal agencies. When searching for an experienced federal attorney near me, look no further than Birrell Law Firm.

What Are Federal Crimes?

A lot of people are scared of being on the wrong side of the law. What about coming up against the United States government in a court of law?
Being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office is as tough as it gets. The lawyers at Birrell Criminal Defense know when you see an indictment that says "United States of America versus (your name)" it is the most terrifying feeling you will get in your life. It means you are up against the FBI, the Secret Service, local police departments, United States prosecutors, and several other federal agencies that have all have access to unlimited resources and incredible power. People find themselves in such scenarios where they are accused of violating one of the thousands of statutes passed by Congress. If you are there, you will need to you will face off with your prosecutors in a federal court that is much different than a regular state court. Federal courts have different rules, different prosecutors, different judges, and a different set of laws. Many lawyers you come across will tell you they can handle federal court, but such serious cases require proven experts like the lawyers at Birrell Criminal Defense. They can fight for you in both federal court and state court. State lawmakers can pass virtually any law, but the United States Congress only passes criminal laws that they deem "of national interest." For example, Congress outlawed counterfeiting money since it is the duty of the government to print cash, not of ordinary people. However, as time has gone on, the federal government has drastically expanded what it deems illegal. This has expanded the reach of the federal courts, putting defendants at greater risk. For example, if a Minnesota contractor submits an inflated bill to a Minnesota company for services they rendered in Minnesota , and uses the mail to submit that bill, that doctor could be indicted for mail fraud in federal court. If that contractor had instead used email to submit that bill, that contractor could be indicted for wire fraud in federal court. Aggressive authorities might seek to do this if they are seeking harsh punishment, because the punishment in federal court tends to be more severe than the punishment in state court. A crime can "go federal" in a couple of different ways, and understanding this can help you understand when a federal prosecutor might step in. A crime that takes place on federal premises or involves federal offices -- whether that is murder in a national forest or a DWI in a national park -- is a federal crime. Crimes where a defendant crosses state lines (as is frequently the case in drug crimes, gun crimes, kidnapping, and identity theft offenses) are federal, as are immigration and customs violations.

Other examples of federal crimes include:

  • Identity Theft
  • Tax Evasion
  • Drug Crimes
  • Bank Fraud
  • Mail Fraud
  • Wire Fraud
  • RICO
  • Computer Crimes
These are some of the crimes prosecuted by the federal government. Many federal crimes do not have specific individual victims. Instead, althoguh they are victimless crimes, Congress made them illegal to protect what they see as the national interest.

Understanding Federal Court Procedures

The court procedures for federal crimes are different from the state ones, and this is why you need a specialized MN federal crimes attorney to handle your case. The government has a set of complex guidelines that determine the time a guilty person will spend in prison and the amount of fine they should pay. However, these guidelines are not set in stone, and the decision is ultimately up to the judge. A skilled federal attorney can advocate for you to the judge and say that, although the guidelines say the judge should sentence you to many years in prison, that sentence would not be proper, and the judge should give a much less severe sentence or even a sentence of probation. When their clients have been found guilty, the lawyers at Birrell Criminal Defense have had tremendous success convincing judges to give sentences much less severe than the guidelines provide, and much less severe than federal prosecutors argue for.

What Should You Do After Receiving a Federal Target Letter?

When a federal agent or federal prosecutor believes they have has substantial evidence to believe that you may have committed a crime, you will be sent a federal target letter. It is sent from a federal prosecutor. It notifies you of several things, including your status as a target in a federal investigation, crimes that might have been committed, your right to assert the Fifth amendment, and a recommendation that you get a lawyer. It is crucial to note that receiving this letter does not automatically mean that you committed a federal crime. You could just have information that federal agents think is helpful for the investigation, or the federal agents might just be wrong to see you as a target. When you get this letter, contact an experienced Minneapolis federal criminal defense attorney right away and have them guide you. It is common to receive such letters for cases that have been investigated for months and years, and only an experienced head can face the federal prosecutors. It is a grave mistake to try to handle this situation yourself.

Finding A Reliable Attorney

You will come across a plethora of lawyers out there offering to represent you in a federal case. This is not your ordinary car accident, or driving while intoxicated offense, or personal injury lawsuit. The entities you come up against are powerful, experienced, and well connected. They might have collected information for years and months without your knowledge. And by the time they are serving you with a federal target letter, they must have established what they see as reasonable cause to prosecute you. One thing to look out for is experience. You want to be represented by an experienced Minneapolis federal criminal defense attorney. Look at the number of years they have been in operation before picking them. Do not leave it at the years but look at some of the cases they have been involved in and check if they were successful. Look at the details of the case and see if they are related to yours. You would benefit if you got a lawyer that has handled a series of tax evasion cases, and you are accused of one. It helps to check the reviews posted by previous clients of a particular federal criminal defense attorney before hiring them. This is because too many lawyers are better at advertising themselves than protecting their clients. Being accused by the federal government is probably the hardest thing you will have to deal with in your life, and the last thing you want is to hire a bad attorney. Reviews will also give you a different view of the set of attorneys you choose to work with, as this helps you to understand them better and forge a proper working relationship needed for that case.

Contact Our Professional Legal Team Today

If you are on the search for an experienced Minneapolis Federal Criminal Defense Attorney, check out https://www.birrellcriminaldefense.com/. We are professional lawyers who are known for handling tough cases against the federal government. We have been doing it for many years and understand the techniques needed to approach those cases. We have a national reputation for excellence and are available to represent individuals, public and private entities at any stage of their federal criminal case. Call Us Today!

Our Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers

Contact our battle tested Federal Criminal Defense team

We have extensive trial and appellate experience and the good judgment such experience brings. We fight hard for our clients. We are resourceful, tough, ethical, and committed to vigorously protecting our clients’ interests.