Federal Criminal Defense

If you are facing federal criminal charges, Bristol C. Myers is the experienced federal criminal defense attorney you can trust to thoroughly investigate your case and provide an innovative and relentless defense. Call now 512-478-2100 or connect online.

For those who have never been in trouble, and even for those well-acquainted with the criminal justice system at the state level, you enter another world when facing federal criminal charges. Investigations can last for months, even years. Agencies typically involved are the FBI, IRS, DEA, ATF, and the Secret Service, or task forces that combine federal agents with local law enforcement.

After arrest, one does not simply post bail to get out of jail. The Bail Reform Act creates a legal presumption of pretrial release, but there is no federal constitutional right to bail. Defendants facing the most serious charges can wait for days in jail for a detention hearing—a hearing to convince a judge that the defendant is not a flight risk and does not present a danger to the community if released pending trial.

Access to evidence is limited compared to state proceedings. The Government turns very little over to the defense. Many federal criminal cases are built on informants. The Government tries hard to keep informant’s identities secret. Under the Jencks Act, police reports and witness statements are often held back from disclosure until the witness testifies at trial. The same holds true for the identity of informants. Even evidence that supports your innocence is not required to be disclosed before trial. An experienced federal criminal defense attorney knows the techniques to pressure the Government into early disclosure of needed evidence, while conducting an independent defense investigation.

If you have been contacted regarding a federal criminal investigation or have been charged or arrested for a federal crime, you need an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer on your side immediately. An attorney must be specially licensed to practice law in federal court.