Federal vs. State

Courts Jurisdiction of State and Federal Courts State courts have broad jurisdiction, so the cases individual citizens are most likely to be involved in — such as robberies, traffic violations, broken contracts, and family disputes — are usually tried in state courts. The only cases state courts are not allowed to hear are lawsuits against the United States and those involving certain specific federal laws: criminal, antitrust, bankruptcy, patent, copyright, and some maritime cases.

Federal court jurisdiction, by contrast, is limited to the types of cases listed in the Constitution and specifically provided for by Congress.

Criminal Defense

Why you need an experienced Criminal Defense Attorney:

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime, it could be the difference between prison time, reduced or dismissed charges and/or deportation. Bolivar C. Porta, P.A. offers 20 years of courtroom and trial experience and extensive knowledge of federal and state court procedures.

Civil Litigation

What is Civil Litigation? Civil litigation is a legal dispute between two or more parties that seek money damages or specific performance rather than criminal sanctions. A lawyer who specializes in civil litigation is known as a “litigator” or “trial lawyer.” Lawyers who practice civil litigation represent parties in trials, hearings, arbitration’s and mediation’s before administrative agencies, foreign tribunals and federal, state and local courts.

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