Felony Charges:
“Felony” is an umbrella term that describes the severity of the charge, instead of the substance of the charge. A felony is any crime punishable by at least one year. As for the upper end of punishment, felonies can have a maximum as short as two years, or as long as life. Substantively, there are many charges that are felonies, including: some theft, drugs, sex crimes, forgery, most violent crimes, and some domestic violence.
You need a skilled and dedicated defense lawyer to deal with felony charges. Not only are years of freedom at stake, but there are many collateral consequences to conviction for a felony. Among these is the loss of the right to vote, loss of the ability to purchase or possess firearms, inability to obtain professional licensing, and inability to go to school.
It’s absolutely imperative that you have experienced and competent representation if you’ve been charged with a felony. Our criminal defense attorney will explore a variety of options with you to avoid a felony conviction:
Diversionary programs that avoid a conviction if certain conditions are met
Deferred adjudication, such as first offender or conditional discharge
Reduction in charges, to something that is not a felony
Taking the case to trial