What is the difference between a felony and misdemeanor?
The punishment range that is available to the courts is how you can tell. A traffic ticket is a class C misdemeanor, there is only a fine and there is no jail time. Crimes such as DWI 1st or 2nd, assault with bodily injury, or theft up to $1,500.00 are misdemeanor offenses. The punishment for Class B misdemeanor is up to $2,000.00 fine and six months in jail. The punishment for Class A misdemeanor is up to $4,000.00 fine and twelve months in jail. The lowest level felony is a State Jail Felony. The punishment ranges from six months in prison up to two years and the sentence is day for day, no parole and a ten thousand dollar fine. The next level is a third degree felony. Punishment ranges from two years to ten years in prison and a ten thousand dollar fine. The next level to follow is the second degree felony with punishment ranges from two years to twenty years in prison and a ten thousand dollar fine. The most serious level is the first degree felony with punishment ranges from five
