How do felonies and misdemeanors differ?

In the United States, misdemeanors are defined as crimes that are punishable by no more than one year in prison. Crimes that may yield greater sentences are considered felonies.

While both misdemeanors and felonies are crimes, misdemeanors are lesser crimes that are usually considered petty. As such, individuals convicted of misdemeanor charges often receive fines in place of other punishments like incarceration.

Individuals convicted of felonies, on the other hand, may receive several years or more in prison, in addition to fines and other punishments. Felony crimes often have varying degrees of severity which are used to determine an individual’s punishment.

If you are currently facing criminal charges of any kind, contact the Champaign-Urbana criminal defense attorneys of Bruno Law Offices at (217) 328-6000 for a free consultation.