How does a felony differ from a misdemeanor?

Facing a criminal charge in Colorado is never an easy circumstance, even if you have been charged with a crime in the past. Each charge is different, and the way you fight the charges differs based on the type of crime committed and the charge levied against you. So, how does a felony differ from a misdemeanor?

The penalties for a felony are as follows:

• Class A: Life in prison or the death penalty
• Class B: 25 years or more in prison
• Class C: Between 10 and 25 years in prison
• Class D: Between five and 10 years in prison
• Class F: Between one and five years in prison

The penalties for a misdemeanor are as follows:

• Class A: between six months and one or more years in jail
• Class B: between 30 days and six months or less in jail
• Class C: between five days and 30 days or less in jail

The penalties for a misdemeanor come with much less time in prison/jail and lower fines compared to a felony conviction. It can also be harder to obtain employment should you ever be convicted of a felony compared to a misdemeanor conviction. Either way, make sure you have the charges explained to you by the arresting officer.

As you can see, there are some major differences between a misdemeanor charge and a felony charge, most notably in the time you can spend in jail if convicted. You need to have an experienced attorney on your side when facing any level of criminal charges, so you can protect your rights.