Legal Definitions - Misprison of a Felony

Definition: Misprison of a Felony is a crime that involves judicial procedure. It is a misdemeanor that occurs when someone fails to report or disclose knowledge of a felony that has been committed, without being a principal or accessory before the fact. Unlike compounding a crime, no consideration is required to have been passed in misprison of a felony. In some jurisdictions, a person has no obligation to report a crime.

• If someone knows that their friend has committed a felony, but they do not report it to the authorities, they could be charged with misprison of a felony.
• A doctor who knows that their patient has committed a felony but does not report it could also be charged with misprison of a felony.

These examples illustrate how misprison of a felony occurs when someone fails to report knowledge of a felony that has been committed. It is important to note that in some jurisdictions, a person may not be legally obligated to report a crime, but in others, they could face charges for failing to do so.