Law Commons^™

The Assimilative Crimes Act

University of Richmond Law Review

An understanding of the Assimilative Crimes Act is necessary for any attorney who may one day find himself defending a client who has allegedly committed a criminal offense in an area under federal jurisdiction. At first blush, the lawyer may think that his client is clearly guilty and plan his defense around the creation of a reasonable doubt in the court's or jury's mind. However, in some instances, steps may be taken prior to a defense on the merits which would raise serious doubts as to the legality of the prosecution, and even if a conviction is forthcoming, objections might …