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Does a Questing Knight with and Imperial Charter have the power to "take over" a criminal investigation in "Imperial space"?

Imagine a crime occurs on a Noble world I assume that local law (enforced by the Noble House and/or Church and Guilds) applies but as the planet is at least nominally loyal to the Emperor could a chartered Knight intervene as the authorities are exercising the local law on behalf of the Emperor?

I assume that such debates could occupy legal minded Reeves for years (and to the great profit of the Guild...) but how would you handle it for dramatic effect?

This question of just what Questing Knights can and cannot do is an age old quandary. Basically I think it comes down to what the QK can manage to pull off, and what the local authority will accept. In other words, whatever you think will work should work.

In theory, I believe that the Questing Knights have the power to mete justice wherever they go. The problem is if they step on too many toes they are often working out in the field, out of communication, and with little backup. Bad things can happen if they make too many enemies. Always better to have the local authorities on your side (unless they are corrupt ones lol)

I agree with the assessment above. I think that the Questing Knight would have particular jurisdiction in instances where two different noble houses were involved and could legitimately be called (or at least argued) that the matter was of importance to the peace of the empire and would fall under Imperial Courts.

But generally, Questing Knights have both a ton of power and none, since one must obey the local laws of the land. The FS d20 core rulebook has a good write-up of exactly what an imperial charter does...

Also, the QK must consider which cases are of interest to the Phoenix Throne (read: Imperial Bureaucracy), as s/he possess just as much power as the Throne is willing to back up. A local conflict of little interest to the Phoenix Throne, or a highly politized conflict that would bring a PR disaster to any power dragged into it, the QK would do well not to get involved with.

I'm going to say no. And follow me here. Think of the Questing Knights like Interpol. They are free to pursue investigations across borders but they are not a part of the power structure of the planets where they investigate matters. They can demand access to case files from an Imperial Investigator even a Li-Halan Investogatpr, but either can be as much of an obstruction in the investigation as they like. The Imperial Knight has more authority to make trouble for an Imperial Authority if they resist. An Imperial Questing knight cannot just walk into a precinct on Byzantium Secundus and start telling constables what to do. They are still under the authority of a Sherrif. But a Questing Knight can lean on an Imperial Governor and explain the importance of their quest and ask that he instruct the local police to follow the Questing Knight's orders. However, the constables are still following their sheriff, not the questing knight. When they leave, any Imperial glamour leaves with them, nobody is going to put themselves out on a limb for a Questing Knight if they don't need to because they'll have no protection once they leave.