Federal Charges

Federal court is not the county courthouse

People searching a federal case in this region usually mean the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. Some nearby matters sit in other districts. A target letter, a grand jury subpoena, a complaint, and an indictment are different stages, and people search each one.

Federal gun cases, drug conspiracies, fraud, and firearms charges that started with a local arrest are the common referrals. If a county case and a federal case are both open, say that. They are not the same lawyer’s week.

What to send

The district, the next date, and whether there has been an arrest. A case number is useful. Do not send a stack of discovery in the first message.

Nothing on this page is a prediction of what a case is worth, and it is not legal advice. A message asks the desk to review the facts and refer them.

What to send

Cases in federal court, including investigations that have not been charged yet. Name the district if you have it.

The useful first facts are the place, the date, the court if there is one, and what happened. Records can wait until a lawyer asks for them.

How a referral works

A message asks the desk to read the facts and refer them to a lawyer who handles this work. It does not hire that lawyer, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship.

The lawyer who receives the introduction decides whether to take the matter and talks with you about deadlines and fees.

Related criminal cases

• Criminal Defense — Charges, investigations, and court dates
• DUI — License, stop, and first court date
• Drug Charges — Possession, delivery, and intent
• Gun Charges — Firearms charges and VUFA
• Assault Charges — Simple assault, aggravated assault, and threats
• Theft and Robbery — Retail theft, burglary, and robbery
• Probation Violations — Detainers and violation hearings
• Expungement — Clearing a record after a case ends
• Juvenile Cases — Cases in juvenile court