What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?

How much punishment a criminal gets depends on how bad their crime was.

To help determine how bad a crime was, the crime is called either a 'felony' or a 'misdemeanor'. Felonies are more serious crimes, and misdemeanors are less serious crimes. Both can result in a jail sentence but only a felony can result in a prison sentence.

The maximum sentence a person can receive on a misdemeanor is 365 days or less. Sentences on felonies can be less than or more than a year, and can be up to life in prison. If the sentence is less than a year, the sentence is generally served in a local jail. If the sentence is more than a year the time is generally served in prison.

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1. Can the Prosecuting Attorney's Office provide me legal advice?
2. Does the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office provide copies of police reports?
3. I have an outstanding bench warrant for my arrest, what do I do?
4. I need child support. Can the Prosecuting Attorney's Office help me?
5. Someone claiming to be from the Prosecuting Attorney's Office wants to ask me some questions. How do I know they really are from your office?
6. What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?
7. What is the Prosecuting Attorney's jurisdiction?
8. Who decides what charges to file, and how do they make that decision?
9. Will the Prosecuting Attorney's Office help me clear up an outstanding warrant?
10. Will the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney's Office enforce a parenting plan that my ex is violating since it was entered in your County Superior Court?