term:

Federal

federal adj

[Latin foeder- foedus compact, league]
1 : of or constituting a form of government in which power is distributed between a central authority and a number of constituent territorial units (as states) [a government]
2 : of or relating to the central government of a federation as distinguished from the governments of the constituent territorial units (as states)
;esp
: of or relating to the laws made and enforced by the federal government [a crime]
fed·er·al·ly adv

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.