Federal Crimes Lawyer St. Louis, MO

Federal Crime Charges Our St. Louis, MO Take On

Our federal criminal defense law firm takes on the following cases in St. Louis and throughout Missouri include:

• Federal White Collar Crimes
• Federal Conspiracy Charges
• Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
• Check and Credit Card Fraud
• Embezzlement
• Federal Weapons/Firearm Offenses
• Federal Internet, Computer and Cyber Crimes
• Federal Child Pornography Charges
• Federal Drug Crimes
• Federal Drug Trafficking
• Federal Murder/Homicide Charges

No matter the nature of the charges you’re facing, trust in Combs Law’s St. Louis, MO federal crime lawyers to zealously represent you and deliver the most favorable outcome possible in your case.

Criminal Court Proceedings in Federal Cases

1. Initial appearance — This is your first appearance in court. Whether you are in custody or free, you will go to court and appear before a judge. The judge will inform you of your rights, which includes your right to a lawyer. They will appoint a lawyer for you if you are unable to hire one on your own. Depending on your federal criminal charges, the judge may grant bail at your initial appearance. Otherwise, a detention hearing may be set to determine whether you can be granted bail.
2. Bail hearing — Your next court date, if you have not already been granted bail or release, is known as the detention hearing. In federal criminal cases, the release and detention determinations are made following the Federal Bail Reform Act covered in 18 U.S.C. § 3141. In many cases, your federal criminal defense attorney will present evidence and argue to support the decision that you should be released from federal custody while your case continues. The judge may or may not impose special conditions of your release as a measure to ensure the safety of the community during your release (such as maintaining full-time employment, observing a curfew, etc). There are also certain crimes referred to as presumption cases for which it is presumed that there are no release conditions that would reasonably assure the safety of the community. Presumption cases include crimes with ssentences of 10 or more years including sex crimes against children, drug trafficking, etc. With a dilligent and artful federal defense attorney in St. Louis, MO, you may be able to secure pretrial release even if you are facing charges that are considered presumption cases.
3. Arraignment — The next appearance in your federal criminal proceedings is the arraignment hearing. When you are arraigned, the judge reads the charges that have been filed against you and confirms that you understand them. You will be asked to enter an inital plea at this time. Your defense lawyer will advise you on how to plea based on your situation and case.
4. Preliminary hearing — In some cases the court may hold a preliminary hearing. A kind of “mini” trial before the actual trial, the preliminary hearing is when the prosecutor must present their case against you and demonstrate that they have probable cause to charge you with the crime. However, they may be able to use certain evidence that is not admissible during the trial itself. Depending on the hearing, your case may either be advanced or dismissed. You may choose to waive your rigth to a preliminary hearing. Seek the advice of your defense lawyer.
   If you were indicted, there will be no preliminary hearing in your case. In an indictment, a grand jury hears the prosecution’s case in secret and determines whether or not they believe there is enough evidence to charge you with the crime. If so, the jury will hand down an indictment and your case will proceed to pretrail.
5. Pretrial motions – Before your case goes to trial, both parties have a chance to file and respond to pretrial motions. A common pretrial motion employed by federal criminal defense lawyers is the motion to supress evidence. Your attorney may file to exclude certain evidence. For example, if law enforcement officers performed an illegal search and recovered incriminating evidence as a result, your attorney would file a pretrial motion not to admit the results of the illegal search in your trial.
6. Plea bargaining — You and your attorney may negotiate with the prosecution to come to an agreement known as a plea bargain. Both parties must agree, but your case may be decided outside of a trial. Often, a plea bargain in a federal criminal case involves the defendant pleading guilty to a lesser crime in exchange for the government recommending a less severe sentence. This results in a written agreement. In this case, the next step is a sentencing hearing. If you choose not to agree to a plea bargain, the next step is trial.
7. Trial — If you do not reach a plea agreement or have your case dismissed beforehand, you will be scheduled for a jury trial. In a federal criminal trial, the government has the burden of proof. They must prove beyond a reasonable doubtthat you are guilty of all elements of the charge(s). Your Combs Law Group federal criminal defense lawyer will prepare extensively for the trial proceedings and will defend you and your rights valiantly using every tool in our arsenal. A jury of your peers must come to a unanimous verdict decision.
8. Sentencing hearing — In the event that you plead guilty or the jury returns a guilty verdict, you will be scheduled for a court appearance for the purpose of sentencing. Guidelines for what the punishment should be based on the charges exist in the Federal Sentencing Guildelines, but the decision is ultimately up to the judge. You need a skilled negotiator and knowledgeable federal defense attorney to advocate for you at this stage and persuade the judge to pass down a sentence that is reasonable.

Federal Sentencing Guidelines

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are a set of rules for sentencing federal crimes including felonies and serious misdemeanors. The guidelines, published by the United States Sentencing Commission. Originally written as mandatory sentencing requirements for the purpose of making sure sentences were consistent for defendants convicted of a given criminal charge, Federal Sentencing Guidelines are no longer mandatory.

Federal judges are to calculate and consider the sentence suggested in the Guidelines but that is all they are — suggestions. Looking into the Guidelines and using tools like a Federal Sentencing Guidelines calculator can help you get an idea of what you might be facing if convicted, but the actual sentence you receive is ultimately up to the judge deciding your case.

Though the guidelines may not necessarily reflect what a judge ultimately decides, it can be a reality check that helps put things into perspective. Federal criminal charges are very serious and you absolutely must hire an experienced federal criminal attorney from a reputable defense law firm in the St. Louis area right away after you discover that you are being investigated for or accused of a federal crime. Speak to the talented federal criminal defense lawyers of Combs Law Group in St. Louis today. Call (314) 900-HELP now or send us a message online.