Facing A Felony Charge? 3 Things You Should Know As You Prepare To Fight Your Case

Criminal charges can vary a lot, and the worst type to face is any type of felony charge. A felony is a charge that will linger with you for the rest of your life, and you will need a good criminal lawyer assisting you with your case if the charges you are facing fall into this category. As you prepare to fight your case, here are a few things to understand about felony charges.

They are more serious than misdemeanors

Crimes are typically categorized as either felonies or misdemeanors, and felonies are the worst type to have as they are more serious than misdemeanors. Within each of these categories, there are also different levels. When it comes to felony crimes, there are six different levels in most states. A Level 1 felony is the most serious of all, while a Level 6 felony is the least serious. In fact, many crimes that qualify as a Level 6 felony may be wobbler crimes, which means the court may charge them as a Level 6 felony or as a misdemeanor charge.

They carry a lot of consequences

The consequences of felonies are almost always worse than the consequences tied to misdemeanors, and there can be a lot of different consequences you encounter if you end up with a felony charge. For one, a felony charge will appear on your criminal record for life, and this could affect many aspects of your life. Felonies also carry the potential for prison time, loss of rights, and fines.

You might be able to reduce your charges through a plea bargain

When facing felony charges, one of the ways criminal lawyers get them reduced is by pursuing plea agreements with the court. Through a plea bargain, the court will often agree to lower a charge against a person if the person admits guilt for that crime or for a lesser crime. This is one of the best ways to get a felony dropped to a misdemeanor.

You can also eliminate a felony if you choose to go to trial and are able to win the trial. Winning the trial would involve the jury hearing your case and determining a verdict of innocent. Going through a trial is risky business, though, and this is a common reason people choose plea bargains when they have the option.

Fighting a felony charge is a wise decision, even if you are guilty, and you can learn more about this by talking to a criminal defense lawyer.

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