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How to Lookup & Search Pending Federal & Criminal Charges
There is a range of ways for a person to explore whether they are facing pending or current charges from the Federal investigative services there is a database held by the FBI that can be accessed. The database is a good example of how you can keep track of any court order allowing federal authorities to access your data or start surveillance of your activities. However, once a case reaches the stage of charges being filed and heading towards court it can be difficult to track events without the help of an attorney.
Looking for Information
For many people, knowing they are at risk of an investigation by Federal authorities means they are looking for the problems that come with these issues. Other people have no idea whether they are under investigation by federal authorities and could feel they are being watched or investigated in some way. In either of these cases, some options can be undertaken by a qualified and experienced attorney who will be able to access an investigations database held by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The database held by the FBI was created in response to the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon to keep a close eye on the activities of all investigators. What an experienced lawyer will know is the need for a court order to be obtained by investigators from a Federal Judge to begin any form of surveillance legally. Each time an investigation is undertaken, the FBI creates an entry on its database with details of the court order used to begin surveillance. This database can be access to establish if any form of surveillance has been undertaken using the name of an interested party.
Understanding the Process of Investigation
A gray area comes into play when a charge is being sought or has been written by a prosecutor. The issue is the lack of a federal database of the charges being brought against an individual before a court trial is about to be undertaken or the individual is taken into custody.
For many people who fall under the remit of a federal investigation, the problem is the lack of transparency seen in communicating with those who may fall under an investigation. Many people know little about any form of a federal investigation until they hear a knock on their door and are faced with an investigator determined to ask questions or take them into custody. Once taken into custody, the individual should look to get the assistance of an attorney quickly to make sure they have the chance to understand the charges being brought against them.
The most common course of action undertaken by federal investigators is that of investigators arriving at your door and arresting you. However, in some cases, a letter is sent to the home of the individual explaining they are being charged with a specific crime or crimes and must appear at a court on a certain date. This is not as common as other forms of arrest but does happen to allow the charged person the chance to prepare their defense or look for a plea deal. When a letter sent to an individual, the bonus for the charged person is receiving a copy of the documents about their case which can be important to their defense.
One of the most difficult ways an investigation can be revealed to an individual is through the use of a search warrant issued by a court. When a team of federal investigators arrives at the home of an individual, this is often the first time they know they are under investigation as their documents and belongings are seized. One of the bonuses of the use of a search warrant is the amount of evidence that must be presented to a judge for the search warrant to be awarded. A large amount of information will then be available for any attorney to get hold of and explore the state of the investigation into their client.