Federal Civil Litigation Involving Federal Criminal Statutes
Occasionally, when an accuser (an alleged victim) fails to persuade federal law enforcement to investigate their case or when they are otherwise unsuccessful in seeking criminal remedies against a potential defendant, they attempt to seek damages in federal civil litigation. Pursuant to federal criminal statutes involving child exploitation, child pornography and sex trafficking as well as racketeering (RICO) activity, there are collateral civil statutes (such as 18 U.S.C. §1959 and 18 U.S.C. §1962) allowing persons who claim to have been wronged by these criminal activities to attempt to prosecute their own cases in a civil forum. By nature, these claims are frequently too weak and unsubstantiated to draw a prosecutor’s attention. However, when a civil complaint alleges a violation of federal criminal law, it is important to have a seasoned federal criminal defense attorney to assist in defending what is tantamount to a civil prosecution invoking criminal statutes. In the role of co-counsel to a civil litigator, Ms. Hodde brings her vast federal criminal trial experience in RICO and child exploitation cases to assist in the comprehensive civil defense of both individuals and corporations.