State vs. Federal Prosecution

In order for the government to have authority to regulate any kind of behavior, it must have “jurisdiction.” In most cases, jurisdictional issues are straightforward—the crime occurred within a

Jurisdiction in a Criminal Case

Jurisdiction is the power of a court to hear and decide cases. In criminal law, it includes the power to impose punishment.

Venue in a Criminal Case

In a criminal case, “venue” refers to the county or district where a case will be decided.

Change of Venue in a Criminal Case

The venue in a criminal case is the court that will hear the matter.

If a crime occurs in two or more states, can each prosecute it?

Usually, any state in which an essential part of a crime has been committed can prosecute the offender.

Can any kind of crime be a federal offense?

Congress can turn all kinds of behavior into crimes. (See State vs.

Can the federal government investigate a case at the same time as state police?

With many potential criminal cases, law enforcement in the state in which the alleged crime occurred does the investigating.

What are the kinds of criminal jurisdiction?

There are many types of jurisdiction in criminal cases. Below is a primer on some of the key ones.

What Are the Grounds for Changing Venue in a Criminal Case?

Sometimes the defense can’t get a fair shake. To be more precise, sometimes the venue for a criminal trial is unfair to the defendant.