Felony

Definition of Felony

Note: See a more comprehensive approach to the Felony legal concept in the American Law Encyclopedia

A classification that covers the most serious kind of crime. Felonies can be penalized by imprisonment for a year or more. A felony is different from petty crimes, which are called misdemeanors. Conviction for certain felonies may bring the possibility of the death sentence. Most felonies also involve civil disabilities such as loss of voting rights or certain licensure privileges. Felonies are defined by legislatures. They vary somewhat from state to state, although such differences typically involve only internal gradations of criminal conduct. For example, some states distinguish between Class A and Class B felonies with sentences that vary by class. Nonetheless, all felonies are serious offenses and include murder, criminal sexual conduct, arson, and a number of assaultive offenses as well as those committed with a weapon.

See Also

Misdemeanor (Law of the United States).

Resources

Felony Related Resources

• Felony in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Criminal Judicial Process Keywords in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Criminal Process Keywords in the International Legal Dictionary

Notes

• “Felony”, The American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Felony

In the Past

An offence which occasions a total forfeiture of. either lands or goods or both, at common law, to which capital or other punishment may be super-added, according to the degree of guilt. 4 Bl. Com, 94, 5; 1 Russ. Cr. *42; 1 Chit. Pract. 14; Co. Litt. 391; 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 37; 5 Wheat. R. 153, 159. [1]

Resources

Notes and References

1. Partialy, this information about felony is based on the Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier's Law Dictionary, including felony.

See Also

Felony (Criminal Judicial Process)

Meaning of Felony

This is a brief definition of felony; a term used, in general, in the field of procedural law within the United States: A crime that is punishable by death or imprisonment in a state prison_ generally considered a more serious crime than amisdemeanor.