Federal Criminal Process

Criminal cases in federal courts work in a similar way to those in state courts. The case begins with an arraignment where the court reads the charges faced by the defendant and decides bail conditions. The court then schedules pre-trial hearings designed to allow the defendant to discover the government’s evidence against them and to file motions to exclude this evidence.

In federal criminal cases, defendants always have the right to participate in jury selection at their trial and to cross-examine every government witness. Our experienced lawyers could stand with you at every stage of the case. From an initial arrest to the final trial; every stage of the case is critical.


Examples of Federal Offenses

The sorts of cases that a United States court can try are extremely limited. Our team of lawyers has experience defending against them all.
Congress passes laws that criminalize certain behavior. Common examples of these laws include:

21 U.S.C. §841:

It is illegal for any person to distribute, manufacture, or intend to distribute any controlled substance. The penalties for conviction are harsh and can be as severe as a life sentence without a possibility for parole.

18 U.S.C. §922:

Certain people can never be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. These include people sentenced to a term in jail of more than one year, people addicted to drugs, and people who were admitted to a mental hospital. A court can sentence violators to up to ten years in prison.

18 U.S.C. §2251:

It is illegal for any person to coerce or otherwise convince a child to participate in the production of any pornographic material. This section only applies if a person takes a child across state lines for this purpose. A conviction carries a mandatory minimum penalty ranging from fifteen to thirty years in prison.

An Albany Federal Criminal Lawyer Can Be an Aggressive Advocate

Federal criminal charges are always a serious matter. Many of these charges carry mandatory minimum sentences and United States Attorneys pursue cases to the fullest extent of the law. It is vitally important for anyone accused of a federal crime to protect themselves by consulting with a skilled attorney.

The trial-tested Albany federal criminal lawyers at Tully Rinckey work vigorously for each client – from discovering all relevant evidence, to filing motions, to compiling and presenting a powerful and cogent defense at trial.

You can contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone at 888-529-4543, or by e-mail at info@tullylegal.com.

You can also use our secure Live Chat feature to connect with us regarding your matter. Your message will be delivered to a secured firm account with a member from our team ready to assist you.

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When you choose Tully Rinckey PLLC, you aren’t just assigned an attorney. Your legal matter will be cared for by our entire legal team and support staff. With offices throughout the United States, we make sure you receive legal counsel and representation you can trust.

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At Tully Rinckey, we work relentlessly to ensure our ethical standards and level of professionalism surpass what is expected of us by our clients and the court. Our high ethical principles call us to treat clients with respect, offer affordability to members of the communities we serve, and provide composed and dignified representation.

Our Experience


Our highly knowledgeable law team comes to the table with attorneys who have 20 to 30 years of experience representing hundreds of clients. With hundreds of years of combined experience in appellate, international and U.S. business and corporate commercial law, litigation, criminal law, immigration, bankruptcy, employment law, estate planning, our team has what it takes to ensure your success.

Our Process


Our client-centered process is all about communication. During consultations, we teach clients about legal challenges they face and explain options available from their current position. Our attorneys explain how we resolve legal issues for the best possible outcome. We define what the expectations are, create manageable deadlines, and discover evidence to support claims.

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