What are felonies/misdemeanors/infractions?
Felonies are the most serious criminal offenses which our court system recognizes. Felonies are classified by letters A through I, with Class A being the most serious crimes, such as First Degree Murder, and Class I being less serious felonies such as possession of certain illegal drugs and some “property crimes.” It is possible to receive an active prison sentence for a felony conviction. See the Section entitled “What is Structured Sentencing?” Misdemeanors are less serious criminal offenses. They are classified as Class A1 through Class 3, with Class A1 being the most serious offenses, such as certain aggravated assault matters and Class 3 being the least serious offenses, such as possession of small quantities of marijuana. It is possible to receive an active jail or prison sentence for a misdemeanor conviction. Infractions are the least serious criminal matters. Infractions encompass most minor traffic matters, such as most speeding tickets, inspection violations, etc. Unlike misd
