A criminal charge is a formal accusation of breaking the law. A prosecutor decides whether to file charges after reviewing police reports and evidence of wrongdoing. When they do, they may be filing misdemeanor or felony charges. A person gets their first look at the charges during a court appearance called an arraignment.
Felonies are crimes that carry severe consequences, including prison time. They are more serious than misdemeanors and may include murder, armed robbery, burglary, drug trafficking, and other offenses that involve significant harm to another or large-scale illegal activity. They may also carry sentencing enhancements, which can increase the maximum penalty and make it more difficult to get a pardon or parole after a conviction.
Misdemeanors are lesser crimes that can carry up to a year in jail. They can include disorderly conduct, loitering, and petty theft. They can also include assault and other crimes that result in minor injury or property damage.
White-collar crimes involve non-violent offenses committed by people in positions of trust or authority, such as embezzlement and fraud. They can also include forgery and counterfeiting.
When a prosecutor wants to convict someone of a crime, they must convince a judge or jury that the defendant is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. This is a very high standard, and criminal defense lawyers can do everything they can to poke holes in the prosecutor’s case. They can argue that you are not guilty of the crime, that someone else committed it, or that you suffered a mental illness at the time you committed the crime.