What’s the Difference between Infractions, Misdemeanors, and Felonies?
When people get into trouble with the law, there are a lot of different terms that they may hear about. When it comes to charges, there are three that a person could end up facing: infraction, misdemeanor, and felony. Understanding the differences between these three terms can help a person understand how much trouble they are facing.
Crimes are broken down into three categories based on how severe they are. Infractions are the lowest level crimes and as such, come with the smallest penalties. A person charged with an infraction will only face a small fine of a few hundred dollars with no possibility of jail time.
Mid-level crimes are referred to as misdemeanors. Since these crimes are more severe than infractions, they come with harsher consequences. People charged with misdemeanor offenses can faces fines up to $1,000 and up to 1 year in county jail in most cases.
Anything that isn’t an infraction or a misdemeanor is considered a felony. Felonies crimes are the worst of the worst, including acts such as murder and rape. Since these are the worst crimes imaginable, they also carry the harshest consequences. Fines go up to $10,000 and the prison sentence can be anywhere from several years to life.
If you or someone you know are currently in trouble with the law and have been arrested, you can get out of jail during your trial with help from Newport Beach Bond Store in Laguna Niguel. We will help you post bail at a price that you can afford. To get started, all you have to do is talk to one of our bail agents.