In the United States of America, there are three basic types of crimes. Any crime committed will fall into one of the following categories:
Infractions
Infractions are the least serious of the three. Reserved for youths and traffic tickets, an infraction is the legal term for a slap on the wrist. When talking about real criminal offenses, one generally speaks of misdemeanors and felonies. That’s not to say that infractions are wholly trifling, however. Accumulating too many infractions could result in some serious penalties.
Misdemeanors
Misdemeanors are charges given for crimes deemed not as severe as their felonious brethren. Though that’s not to say that the crimes involved are good-natured or victim-free necessarily. In fact, many misdemeanors are just lighter versions of more serious crimes. For example, getting caught with ten pounds of cocaine is an obvious felony. Getting caught with a very small amount however, (under 500 milligrams) would be considered a Class-A misdemeanor. The penalty would therefore be less.
Felonies
Felonies are the most serious grade of criminal offenses. Crimes like murder, arson, etc. are all felony offenses. Due to the serious nature of these crimes, the penalties they carry are harsh.
Beyond jail time, probation and heavy fines, there are other privileges that may be stripped away from you if you commit a felony. Here are just a few repercussions of being convicted of a felony:
- You have your right to vote and run for public office taken away
- You lose the right to carry a firearm
- You may not work for a government agency
- Many employers may decline to hire you
- You may not work as a lawyer or judge; if you were previously working as a lawyer or judge, you will (almost certainly) be disbarred
- You may have your teaching license revoked
- You may become ineligible from adopting children
- You may be disqualified from securing student loans
Now, some of these rights may be re-instated in time, but the process is slow and difficult. If you have been charged with a felony, it is imperative that you seek the counsel of an experienced law firm, like Kaplan Lawyers PC. If you have been convicted of a felony, it may still be possible to appeal.
Contact Us To Learn More About Legal Representation For Felonies and Misdemeanors
If you still have questions, it may be in your best interest to schedule a free consultation with Kaplan Lawyers PC. Here, we believe that being well-informed is the best weapon when fighting criminal charges. Knowledge is power, and our criminal defense attorneys are on standby, ready to arm you with all the information needed to mount a strong defense for whatever your case may be. If you are unsure of your next step, we can help navigate you through your legal process. Our consultations are an easy way to get started, so contact us today.
Attorney Jared S. Kaplan
Attorney Jared S. Kaplan has focused his career on advancing his legal knowledge though the day to day practice of law. Jared is a partner in the law firm of Kaplan Lawyers PC in Syosset, New York and has been a practicing attorney for nearly 20 years. His career started in litigation, so Jared is aware of the pitfalls in litigation and uses that knowledge in the representation of his clients in complex matters. [ Attorney Bio ]