federal case

American

noun

a matter that falls within the jurisdiction of a federal court or a federal law-enforcement agency.

idioms

make a federal case (out) of, to exaggerate the importance of or make an issue out of (something trivial).

Etymology

Origin of federal case

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

federal case

He traveled in a van with Abdel-Rahman and Emad Salem, the government informant who later became a key witness in the federal case against Abdel-Rahman.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

In the federal case, the judge ruled that prosecutors could use the backpack evidence in question.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

Mangione is also charged in a separate federal case, in which he has also pleaded not guilty.

From BBC ● May 18, 2026

The federal case carries the same potential punishment after a US judge barred prosecutors in late January from seeking the death penalty against Mangione.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

They would have made a federal case out of it, getting upset, calling the cops .

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023