When someone commits a crime, he/she is charged either with a misdemeanor or felony crime. Misdemeanors are considered less serious crime with relatively less severe punishments. The penalties charged are not as severe and includes relatively less or no jail time with the lower amount of fines. While on the other hand, felony crimes are referred as much more serious crimes with harsher penalties. The convicted felon can be charged with a long period of jail and heavy fines. No matter either one is convicted of class 1 or class 6 felony in VA, one should immediately consult with a lawyer before going to court. The offender will have a permanent criminal record if he/she is convicted of misdemeanor or felony. There are different classes of a felony according to the US and other judicial systems of the world. Usually, these classes range from class 1 felony to class 6 felony in VA.
It is important to understand how felonies are classified and sentenced according to the legislation of the respected state one is living in. In VA, class 1 felony is the most serious class with harsher penalties while class 6 felony in VA is the least serious. Depending upon the intensity of the crime each class has its own range of punishments. Some crimes can even fall under more than one category of classes. Following are the classes of felonies that one can be convicted of:
- Class 1 Felony:
This class comes with the harshest penalties. The conviction of class 1 felony includes capital murder and first-degree murder. The charges depend upon the age of the culprit. The convicted can be sentenced to death or can be charged to live in prison and fine of up to $100,000.
- Class 2 Felony:
This class includes crimes that are committed purposefully such as kidnapping, murder in some situations, aggravated wounding, and illegal entry in a building having a deadly weapon with intent to commit a crime. The accused is charged with imprisonment of 20 years or even lifetime and fine of up to $100,000.
- Class 3 Felony:
Drug crimes, stabbing a person, trying to kill a person or attempting to poison someone are the crimes through which one can be convicted of class 3 felony. The convicted can be sentenced to jail of 5 to 20 years and fine of less than $100,000.
- Class 4 Felony:
A person who is convicted of misappropriation of funds placed in one’s trust, prostitution, manslaughter, and kidnapping can be charged with class 4 felony. The penalties an offender can face ranges from the imprisonment of 2 to 10 years and fine of up to $2,500.
- Class 5 Felony:
The crimes that fall under this class are extortion, battery, and involuntary manslaughter. The offender will face jail time of 1 to 10 years and fine of $2,500.
- Class 6 Felony:
One can be charged with class 6 felony in VA if he/she is accused of violation of a court order, animal savagery, reckless endangerment, etc. The accused can be charged with 1 to 5 years in jail and a fine of $2,500.
Class 5 and class 6 felony in VA are also referred as “wobblers”, which means crimes that can be charged as felony or misdemeanor.