Differences between felonies, misdemeanors, and violations.

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In New York State, we have three main levels of offenses with which you can be charged. The highest level and most serious are called felonies, which can also be broken up into violent felonies and non-violent felonies. Pleading guilty to or being convicted after trial of a felony can have a major impact on your life. A felony on your criminal record can mean losing voting rights, state benefits like Medicaid, public assistance, and SNAP, and hugely impact your eligibility for most jobs.  In addition to your record, felonies also carry the possibility of prison time. 

The second level of offenses are called misdemeanors – crimes punishable by less than a year in jail. While having a criminal record in general can cause you issues, a misdemeanor record is less problematic than a felony one. The harshest punishment for a guilty plea or conviction after trial to a misdemeanor is 364 days in jail – one day shy of a year. Other possible sentences include probation, paying a fine to the court, following up on treatment recommendations, or taking recommended classes. 

The lowest level offenses are called violations, and unlike felonies and misdemeanors they aren’t crimes. That means a guilty plea or conviction after a trial to a violation does not give you a criminal record. They carry potential sentences of fines owed to the court and up to fifteen (15) days in jail in the worst case scenario. Commons examples of violations are Harassment in the Second Degree and Disorderly Conduct. 

No matter how serious the crime, you can contact Ms. Molodetz for a free telephone consultation.