The Congressional Research Service explained this in November 2024:On the criminal side, the usual rule is that state criminal prosecutions proceed in state court. (Federal criminal prosecutions always proceed in federal courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction over federal criminal cases.) Another statute enumerates certain types of cases that cannot be removed from state to federal court. If a state court case is properly removed to federal court, it will proceed in federal court even if the plaintiff prefers a state forum. When civil claims or criminal charges arising under state law proceed in federal court following removal, federal courts apply state substantive law.