What are some of my important rights in federal court?
• You have a right to refuse to make any statements. If you have a lawyer, never make a statement to anybody without talking to your lawyer first. • If you are charged with a felony, you have a right to have your case presented to a grand jury where a group of citizens vote as to whether there is probable cause to believe you committed the crime charged. If you are arrested for a felony offense before an indictment is returned, you have a right to a “preliminary hearing” where a magistrate judge determines if probable cause exists to believe you committed the crime charged. • You have a right to be represented by an attorney and to have an attorney appointed by the court if you can show that you are unable to hire an attorney. • You have a right to a detention hearing if the government seeks to keep you in jail pending your trial. • You have a right to discover the evidence against you. • You have a right to have the government prove any charge against you “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
