Misdemeanor vs felony

MISDEMEANOR

VS

FELONY

The two main classifications of crimes are Misdemeanor and Felony.
Both offenses are serious crimes, but we can acknowledge
misdemeanor as a lesser serious crime. It is in line with the
consequences of these crimes. A misdemeanor crime is punishable
by a prison sentence of less than a year, and fines of lesser amounts
get imposed. Also, there is a criminal record in criminal situations,
arrest records, imposing penalties, and prison sentences.

We divide the misdemeanor charges into three categories. These
categories define the crime level—the punishable by a prison
sentence, community work, and even fines or rehabilitation.

SOME PREVALENT CRIMES UNDER

MISDEMEANOR ARE:

Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is a part of Drinking under Influence (DUI) or Driving While Intoxication
(DWI). Drinking alcohol beyond the limit as per the law can land a person with a
misdemeanor charge.

Petty Theft / Shoplifting
Stealing from the shops/ retail stores lands a person with a misdemeanor charge. The
theft differs from burglary and armed robbery, which form a part of a felony and are
many serious crimes.

Minor Assault
A small street fight. Neighbors getting into a fight are some examples of a minor assault.
It has no use of primary weapons in such disputes. However, in verbal abuse, conflicts
are relevant in a minor assault resulting in a misdemeanor charge.

Trespassing
Trespassing is a serious crime if a person is present on a property uninvited and has no
relevant explanation. They considered it a serious offense because of the growing
number of trespassers kidnapping kids and using other properties such as swimming
pools and lawns.

Resisting Arrest
If a person is guilty and needs to be in custody, he/ she cannot resist arrest. In such a
situation, a misdemeanor charge gets pressed on the defendant because of resistance
to arrest.

Cyber Crimes
A growing concern is cyber crimes, which is a relatively more recent crime. It included
stalking, Online bullying, luring young boys and girls / other citizens into a scam on a
smaller level involving less money. Samples get booked under misdemeanor charges.

Vandalism
Spray painting on cars, public and private walls, streets, lampposts, carving initials in
public spaces as park trees, benches, or even destroying one's property on purpose
comes under the crime vandalism. Vandalism of such nature is a misdemeanor charge
and punishable by fines or even prison.

THE CONSTITUTION CLASSIFIES

MISDEMEANOR CHARGES AS BELOW:

There are three types of Misdemeanor charges. They vary from state to state however
the most common one is as below:

Class A
Class B &
Class C

Class A Misdemeanor charges
Class A charges under misdemeanor charges are less severe than Felony. Hence the
punishment may involve a jail term of a maximum of one year but not less than six
months. And or a penalty charge of up to $5000. Fist fighting, letting a dog prone to
biting, off-leash, possession of a small quantity of drugs, trespassing, etc.
The law states ‘gross misdemeanor’ as one of the most severe misdemeanor crimes. It
means taking a child to a location where illegal drugs get consumed, prevalent, stored,
or even prepared.

Class B Misdemeanor charges
Class B misdemeanor charges result in a prison sentence for six months, but not less
than a month. The fine imposed is up to $2000. Some standard class B misdemeanor
charges include minor shoplifting, theft, trespassing,& vandalism.

HS Class C Misdemeanor charges.

Class C misdemeanor charges may include Prison time of not over three months in jail
and a fine of $1000. The other punishments include rehabilitation, community
services, and foster care. The common crimes are damaging properties, resisting
arrest, misbehavior in public places, destruction of public homes and properties like
water pipes, gardens, vehicles, benches, etc.
The separation of a misdemeanor from felony charges gets accepted across many
states in the US. In case there is a misuse of the felony law, and you have gotten charged
wrongly, you must complain. A Felony or misdemeanor lawyer can provide you the
correct guidance and save on prison time. In case of damages, the attorney must make
sure the defendant must get paid accurate compensation.

FELONY

Felony charges are serious crimes where the victim has fatal physical harm.
It also states that the consequences of a felony may have higher damages to
properties, public, government offices, etc.

On the same lines when compared to Misdemeanor, felony as a crime has
severe imprisonment and fine charges levied on the defendant. Also,
fighting felony litigation may take more time in court as they give rise to
complicated procedures and witnesses.

SOME COMMON CRIMES OF FELONY

Murder Extortion
Manslaughter Child Pornography
Rape Arson
Kidnapping Embezzlement
Burglary/ armed robbery Larceny

CLASSIFICATIONS OF FELONY

Violent Felony

When there is severe damage to a property, physical assault to a victim is
called a violent felony. There should be an intent to commit the crime of
violence.

Non Violent Felony

In a non Violent Felony, there can be severe charges such as a white-collar
crime, illegal smuggling, larceny, or tax crime.

DIFFERENT CLASSES OF FELONY

Class A - Lifetime imprisonment or Death Penalty
Class B- Twenty Fives year or more Prison
Class C- Less than 25 but more than 10 Years in Prison
Class D- Less than 10 years but more than 5 Years in Prison
Class E- More than One year but less than 5 Years in Prison