All other cases can only be heard if the justices agree the case needs their consideration. This is usually reserved for very important issues or questions where the Courts of Appeal have disagreed. Hampton Roads is in the Eastern District of Virginia and Virginia falls within the Fourth Circuit. Federal Criminal Cases Crime is, for the most part, a state and local matter. Burglary, robbery, rape, arson, and similar crimes are usually handled in state court.
Most federal crimes have some connection to the federal government.
Espionage, theft of government property, and fraud in government contracting are examples of this type of crime. Serious drug cases are often handled in federal court and recently the Exile program has targeted the illegal possession of firearms. The U.S. Attorney's office appears to be very selective in choosing which cases to prosecute. Sentencing in Federal Court is governed by guidelines issued by the United States Sentencing Commission . A guidelines manual sets out elaborate rules for determining how long the sentence must be.