The most serious types of crimes are referred to as felonies. The usual definition is that a felony is any crime that may be punished by more than a year's imprisonment, or death. A statute may not specifically label an offense as a felony, but the punishment defines the offense as a felony. State criminal codes may call a crime an "aggravated" or "gross" misdemeanor, but the offense calls for a sentence of more than one year in the state penal system. Those offenses will be treated as felonies. When crimes charged are more serious, the need for an experienced Dallas criminal defense attorney to help a defendant through the process becomes even greater.
Consequences of a conviction
If you are convicted of certain offenses, you may have your driving privileges suspended or revoked, you may be disqualified from receiving certain student loans/grants, your right to vote may be restricted, certain assets may be taken by the government. In addition, future employment and educational opportunities may belimited. You may have to pay thousands of dollars in fees.