What Are Federal Criminal Courts and How Do They Differ from Florida Criminal Courts?

Our national government in Washington, D.C. duplicates many Florida criminal laws. Florida criminal laws are enforced by the State of Florida in our State criminal courts. The U.S. government enforces its own set of federal criminal laws in federal criminal courts. Criminal defense attorneys have to be licensed to appear in each court. Florida criminal courts are conducted under the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. Federal criminal courts have their own Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The rules are very different and being familiar with them is essential for criminal defense lawyers. Filing dates and times, rules of evidence, motion practice; all differ significantly. Federal criminal cases have different views of search and seizure, confessions, proper and improper police procedures than Florida criminal laws. Florida has its own constitution which differs from our U.S. federal constitution. Although Florida constitutional rights can give greater protections and safeguards from governmental reach into the lives of Florida residents it cannot lessen or diminish those rights guaranteed by our federal constitution..