If you are in a position where you need to understand the different legal terminology in the Edwardsville, IL criminal system, we know that this can be overwhelming. People in this population know that different terms and formalities can be hard to follow and truly understand. When it comes to knowing about misdemeanor and felony charges, these are two terms that most people have at least heard of. With this being said, these are two totally different positions when it comes to the criminal justice system. Knowing the difference between these two are very important, and can impact your criminal record in drastic ways. If you would like to know the difference between these two terms, continue reading on from as we expect to explain the differences between these two terms.
Understanding a Misdemeanor Charge
When it comes to a misdemeanor charge, this means that the person convicted of a felony that holds this charge will only spend a year or less of jail time. Typically, when dealing with a misdemeanor charge, this can be the lesser strict of the two. Prosecutors may be more than willing to bargain with this certain charge than others that you might have held. Most courts in the United States see a misdemeanor case as a lesser charge than other felonies.
Also, it is common as well for those to avoid a felony charge to plead guilty to a misdemeanor. Like we said previously, If you are however charged with a misdemeanor, your sentence will be a year at most. With this in mind, you will also more than likely spend your time in county jail rather than a top prison system. It can also be possible that you may get out of spending any time in jail at all.
Looking into a Felony Charge
A felony charge is very different from a misdemeanor. Felonies are the most severe type of crime in Illinois. This charge carries the most serious criminal penalties. These charges can go as low as a year in prison to life or even the death sentence. Since this is a more serious case than a misdemeanor, prosecutors are more strict with this criminal procedure to protect the rights of the defendant. Those that are charged with a felony offense will serve a length of time in prison. Unlike a misdemeanor, the time that a criminal will spend will be in a higher secured jail, unlike a county jail. These charges can go from rape, killing, to robbery, depending on what the criminal has done.
Now that you have the knowledge of these two terms, you can say with confidence the difference between the two. If you have any questions regarding a certain charge or are wanting to know more about these certain topics, please feel free to call our team at Elovitz Law Office today!
