Being charged with committing a crime should be taken seriously by all Kansas residents but different categories of crimes can garner different responses. A felony is different from a misdemeanor, and within these categories there are different classifications.
What is a misdemeanor?
A misdemeanor is a crime that is not a felony and carries with it a jail sentence of less than one year. This time can be served in the county jail instead of a federal one. When it comes to these types of crimes, prosecutors have leeway as to what to charge and what punishment should result. The classes of the misdemeanors differ based on the imprisonment. So a felony that results in a punishment between six months and one year would be a Class A misdemeanor, a Class B is one that between thirty days and six months and a Class C one is that is more than five days but less than thirty days imprisonment.
What is a felony?
The most serious type of crime is a felony. Generally, the crime is distinguished by the place incarceration is taking place or the length of the sentence. The term is not used uniformly throughout the country, which is why differences in the definition exist. Usually, it refers to a prison sentence of more than a year, served in either a federal or state prison. A Class A felony is one that results in life imprisonment or the death penalty and the lengths differ all the way down to a Class E felony, which is imprisonment of more than a year but less than five years. Murders, rapes, kidnapping and arson are considered felony crimes.
The criminal justice system can seem to be stacked against those facing criminal charges, as they are unfamiliar with the law and an incorrect move may result in the loss of liberty for at least a few months. Those facing criminal charges may want to protect their rights and fight the charges aggressively with the help of a criminal defense attorney.