What is a misdemeanor?
Misdemeanor are offenses lower than felonies and generally punishable by probation, fines, and/or imprisonment in the county jail for no more than 12 months. Examples of misdemeanors may include: DUI, Domestic Violence, driving on a suspended driver’s license, under the influence of drugs, petty theft, prostitution, simple assault and battery, trespass, vandalism, and other similar crimes.
Like felonies, misdemeanors can result in collateral consequences such as loss of driving privilege, loss of professional license, etc. However, misdemeanor convictions do not result in the loss of an individual’s right to vote.
The federal system also classifies crimes as misdemeanor offenses. Misdemeanor offenses are then classified into class level depending upon severity of the case. It follows that the punishment ranges depending upon the class level from fines to jail time.
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