Even though the law applies to us all, the legal system is notoriously complicated and difficult to navigate. Sadly, this means that people are often unaware of their rights, even after they’ve been charged with a crime.
Understanding the difference between a felony and misdemeanor is essential, particularly if you’ve been arrested. Although both misdemeanors and felonies are crimes, there are significant differences between the two.
What is a Felony?
A felony is considered to be a very serious crime and is usually reserved for charges like murder, extreme violence or sexual offences. However, your criminal history can mean that other types of offences are elevated to a felony charge. If you’ve been charged with a first degree DWI offence, for example, this can be a felony charge and typically occurs when an individual has received three prior misdemeanor DWIs within the last 10 years.
One of …