Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: National treatment
A felony is a serious crime that is against the law. The punishment for a felony can be very severe, depending on how bad the crime was. Some states have different categories for felonies, but others decide the punishment based on the specific crime committed.
A felony is a serious crime that is punishable by law. The severity of the crime and its punishment varies from state to state.
In most states, felonies are classified into different categories based on the maximum term of imprisonment authorized.
However, some states do not classify felonies by categories and instead sentence on a crime-by-crime basis.
These examples illustrate how different crimes can be classified as different types of felonies based on their severity and the maximum punishment authorized by law.