The term, "felony" has meaning but it also has implications that extend beyond mere meaning. Generally, any cime that carries the possibility of more than one year in jail is a felony. It doesn't matter if the person convicted of it ever served even a day in jail; all that is required to call a crime "felony" is that the law permits more than one year in jail. Not only that, but it doesn't matter whether or not the act being criminalized and punished is violent or non-violent.

A misdemeanor, by comparison, allows for a prison sentence but the person convicted of a misdemeanor under the law cannot recieve more than one year in jail. So, the possibility of a legal sentence of up to one year in jail equals a misdeamenor while the possibility of a legal sentence of one year plus one day equals a felony.

Even though longer prison sentences exist for felony convictions, many felony convictions can still result in non-jail sentences, such as fines, probation, counseling or time spent in county jail, a work furlough program, an in-patient drug rehabilitation program, or other non-jail conditions that a court might legally set.

Some felony crimes are considered more serious than others. The sentence for a felony can vary depending on the severity of the crime, the strength of the prosecutor's case, or other factors. Because felonies account for the most serious crimes, including rape and murder, a life or death sentence may also be possible.

The same crime can be considered a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the degree. For example, Petit Larceny (sometimes mistakenly called petty larceny), is a misdemeanor if the dollar amount of the stolen goods is relatively low. If the the value of the property rises above a certain dollar value, the crime may be considered felony. Misdemeanors and lower level felonies can be treated as "lesser included" offenses to more seriouis crimes for the purpose of plea bargaining or for prosecution; there may be times when the prosecution might be willing to charge a misdemeonor. For example, the misdemeanor of stealing property compared to its felony counterpart of stealing propery differs only because to prove the felony, the prosecutor must show proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the market worth of the stolen property is in excess of a certain dollar value. The lesser misdemeanor crime has less severe consequences and the "elements" of the lesser crime are "included" in the higher crime (i.e. stealing property vs. the felony stealing property plus the additional element of the property's market value).

Felony crimes can be anything from larceny or burglary (its misdemeanor "lesser included" offense is generally "criminal trespass"), all the up to murder (Murder has what are loosely considered "lesser included" offences, too. When a person causes the death of another, it can be intentional, reckless, or negilgent conduct that caused death).

Grand theft auto, kidnapping and drug sales are other types of felonies. There are differenet "classes" of crimes, with class 1, or "first degree" being the most serious. A Class "1" or first degree felony can result in a life sentence or a death sentence. Class "A" felonies can be designated a A-1 or A-2 crimes. A Class "B" felony or second degree felony results in a sentence of less than a class "A" felonly.

Additional punishments for felonies can be inflicted due to special circumstances. The theory is that the law must consider the likelihood that the convicted felon may be a repeat offender. Felony crimes of this type may include a crime of violence, such as sexual assault, and other aggravated crimes.

Beyond punishment in prison, people convicted of felony crimes can lose civil rights, even after their liberty is restored upon release from jail. The right to vote is taken away, as is the opportunity to run for office and serve in the military. A felon''s driver''s license may be revoked or suspended; employers may have the right to inquire about any felony conviction, and may require insurance coverage before hiring anyone with a prior history as a felon. Many insurance companies will not insure convicted felons, making it difficult for many to obtain jobs.

The stigma itself makes getting hired difficult. Where the possibility of a felony conviction exists, clients should consider the effect it will have on employment. Clients with the ability to self-start a business or that can own a business should focus on it as much as possible. If employment is desired, developing and maintaining personal contacts may be essential.

Criminal Law - Criminal Law lawyers experienced in assault, child molestation, date rape, domestic violence, drug arrest, dui, federal and juvenille crimes and many other types of criminal litigation.

• Assault | 
• Battery Charges | 
• Boating Under the Influence (BUI) | 
• Criminal Law Cases | 
• Child Molestation | 
• Criminal Defense Attorney | 
• Criminal Defense Process | 
• Criminal Law FAQ | 
• Criminal Law Topics | 
• Criminal Law | 
• Domestic Violence | 
• Drug Possession | 
• DUI - Driving Under the Influence | 
• DWI - Driving While Intoxicated | 
• Embezzlement | 
• Defending Entrapment Charges | 
• Expungement Information | 
• Federal Crime Defense | 
• Felony | 
• Firearm Possession | 
• Harassment | 
• Hate Crimes | 
• Hit and Run Cases | 
• Indecent Exposure | 
• Juvenile Crime | 
• Kidnapping Cases | 
• Police Misconduct | 
• Police Neglect| 
• Probation Violation | 
• Criminal Profiling | 
• Rape | 
• Restraining Orders | 
• Search and Seizure | 
• Sex Crimes | 
• Sexual Harassment | 
• Sexual Assault | 
• Sexual Conduct Defense | 
• Sex Crime Defense | 
• Shoplifting | 
• White Collar Crime |