Who Has Jurisdiction When A Crime Happens On An Airplane?
Jurisdiction is a legal term referring to which court has jurisdiction in a legal case. It applies in civil cases as well as criminal ones. For example, in probate cases, the state where the decedent was a legal resident at the time of his or her death has jurisdiction. In divorce cases, the Pennsylvania courts only have jurisdiction if the party filing for divorce has lived there for at least six months prior to filing. If you are filing a personal injury lawsuit about an accident that happened in Pennsylvania, you must file the lawsuits in Pennsylvania court, even if you live in another state. In criminal cases, defendants are sometimes extradited to the state where the alleged crime occurred in order to face trial, because that is the state that has jurisdiction. Then there is the issue of whether a criminal case is under the jurisdiction of the state courts or the federal courts. If you are being accused of a sex-related offense in state or federal court, contact a Pittsburgh sex crime lawyer.
How Does the Long Arm of the Law Reach the Friendly Skies?
Legal matters that involve federal entities or, by nature, involve more than one state tend to fall under the jurisdiction of the federal courts. For example, bankruptcy filings are always federal cases, because they relate to federal bankruptcy law. Criminal cases involving tax evasion or tax fraud are also within the jurisdiction of the federal courts, because the Internal Revenue Code is a federal law. The snippet answer you will get on Google says that crimes that cross state lines are federal crimes, but it does not explain what it means by crossing state lines; the case can go through federal court even if the defendant did not travel across state lines while allegedly committing the crime. For example, drug trafficking conspiracy cases are usually federal because the drugs cross state lines. Fraud cases that involve banks or the Internet also tend to be federal, because cyberspace is not restricted to state boundaries. Crimes that take place on airplanes are also federal crimes.
In the News
This month, Edward Decker of West Chester pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor. On a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia in July 2022, Decker was seated next to an adolescent girl. The girl fell asleep on the plane and woke up to find Decker touching her. News sources did not include details about his original charges but only said that he pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact. He will receive a sentence in September 2024; he could face a sentence of up to three years in prison.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for an incident that took place on an airplane. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
abc27.com/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-man-pleads-guilty-to-inappropriately-touching-minor-on-plane/
