federal criminal case

A federal criminal case is, in American law, a criminal prosecution brought by the federal government — not by an individual state — against a person or organization suspected of violating federal criminal law. The case is thus brought and conducted by the state itself, represented by a U.S. Attorney, rather than by the injured party.

The distinction between federal and state criminal cases is central to the American legal system. The United States has two parallel criminal justice systems: one for each of the 50 states and one at the federal level. In principle, conduct may be pursued in both systems, but federal cases are heard in federal courts and are governed by federal criminal legislation, primarily collected in Title 18 of the U.S. Code.

Federal cases are typically brought when the alleged offense crosses state lines, involves federal institutions or authorities, concerns commerce or communication across states, or otherwise falls within an area where Congress has enacted federal legislation. Examples of federal criminal provisions include fraud carried out through electronic communication as well as human trafficking and racketeering.

In cases such as the one against Sean Combs, the designation federal criminal case means specifically that it is the federal prosecuting authorities — not the State of New York's own prosecutors — who investigate and prosecute. This gives the prosecution access to particular investigative tools and sentencing frameworks under federal law, and the case is heard before a federal district court.

A federal criminal case is formally initiated when a federal grand jury finds that there is sufficient basis to bring charges, after which a charging document known as an indictment is issued. The defendant then has the right to plead guilty or not guilty at a hearing called an arraignment, and the case subsequently proceeds toward either a plea deal or a full trial.