Where can the prescribed punishment for crimes be found?
Sometimes the law a defendant is charged with violating identifies the punishment. For example, a statute identifying specific behavior as a misdemeanor might go on to state, “For a first-time offense, an offender may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.” Other laws that define crimes might describe particular behavior as a misdemeanor or felony without specifying the punishment. In this situation, the punishment can be found in a separate statute that sets forth the punishment either for that particular misdemeanor (or felony), or, in some states, for all misdemeanors. Often, however, sentences aren’t listed in statutes or court rules. If you want to find out what your punishment is likely to be if you’re convicted, you might take the following steps: • Pay a private defense attorney for an hour of consultation. An experienced defense attorney can often make accurate predictions as to likely punishment. • Talk to an attorney from the publi
