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The library

Learn how criminal law works

Explore criminal law concepts in plain language. Each article identifies the rules it covers and links to its official sources; state procedures can differ.

Public defender vs. private counselHow public defenders, appointed private lawyers and retained lawyers differ, explained through federal law and Florida's rule on providing counsel to people who cannot afford it.State Court vs. Federal Court: How the Two Criminal Systems DifferHow the U.S. Constitution and federal rules separate federal criminal cases from state cases, which rules govern each, and why the difference matters to the person charged.What Is an Arraignment? How It Works, What Pleas Mean, and Who Must AttendA plain-English explanation of arraignment: what happens, how it differs from an initial appearance and from a trial, which pleas exist, and when attendance is required.