The two primary types of courts in the United States are federal and state courts. There are several key dissimilarities between these two court systems, and a few similarities too. Continue reading to learn some fundamental information about state and federal offenses, including the primary differences between state and federal court, types of federal crimes, the importance of federal criminal defense, and more.
How Do Federal and State Court Differ?
State courts are established by the state, and may include local courts as well. Local courts are usually established by individual cities, counties, townships, or other types of common municipalities. They adjudicate cases that involve crimes that break laws set and enforced by the state (also known as state laws). In contrast, federal courts are established under the United States Constitution, and adjudicate cases that involve crimes that break laws passed by Congress.
What is are Federal and State Crimes?
Federal crimes are more serious than state crimes, and generally come with heftier fines and penalties, including jail time. In fact, a felony crime is one that is punishable by up to one year in a federal prison. Felonies are divided into 7 categories in Indiana: Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4, Level 5, Level 6, and Murder. Each level of felony is assigned a separate statute regarding penalization.
State crimes are those that break laws set by and enforced by the state. They are referred to as “misdemeanors”, which are lesser offenses compared to felonies, but still serious crimes that come with harsh penalties and life-long consequences. Misdemeanors are divided into three “classes”, from most serious to least serious: Class A Misdemeanors, Class B Misdemeanors, and Class C Misdemeanors.
What are Some Common Federal Offenses?
Federal offenses are very serious. Some common examples include arson, bank fraud, healthcare fraud, mail fraud, car theft, identify theft, carjacking, kidnapping, civil rights offenses, drug trafficking, drug dealing, armed robbery, firearms offenses, assault and battery, sexual assault, child molestation, hate crimes, homicide, and murder.
Can I Remove State and Federal Crimes From My Criminal Record?
A new law regarding criminal record expungement has recently been passed in Indiana, which means qualified individuals can have their criminal records concealed from public access. The new law is also known as the Indiana Second Chance Law, and it involves a complicated petitioning process. For this reason, it is necessary to hire a criminal lawyer who it well-versed in the new laws to help you with your petition.
How to Get Started With Criminal Record Expungement
Call 317-636-7514 if you have a criminal record in Indiana that you would like to clean up this year. Our law firm is well-versed in the Indiana criminal record expungement laws, and charges as low as $850 for our services. Whether you are looking to seal or expunge a criminal record, we are the criminal lawyers to trust for a hassle-free petitioning process. Call 317-636-7514 to learn more, today.