Oklahoma criminal statutes define a crime as any “….act or omission prohibited by the law which, upon conviction, is punishable by fine, imprisonment, removal from office, disqualification to hold office, or death.”
Misdemeanor and felony are terms used to classify crimes according to the severity of the penalties you may receive. This article will examine the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
What is a misdemeanor in Muskogee, Oklahoma?
Misdemeanors are crimes for which the punishment may range from a deferred or suspended sentence to one year in the county jail. Examples of misdemeanors in Oklahoma include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Battery
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Simple assault
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Shoplifting
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Vandalism
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Breaking and Entering
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DUI, DWI, and APC
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Marijuana Possession
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Petit Larceny
What is a felony in Muskogee, Oklahoma?
The penalties for a felony in Muskogee are much more severe than for a misdemeanor. Oklahoma criminal statutes define a felony as, “ … a crime which is, or may be, punishable with death, or by imprisonment in the penitentiary,”.
More specifically, felony offenses in Oklahoma carry a minimum of one year in prison and up to life in prison without parole, or even the death penalty for violent crimes such as first degree murder.
In general, felonies are more extreme offenses than misdemeanors, the most extreme of which is first degree murder. Other examples of felonies in Muskogee include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Homicide
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Rape
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Robbery
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Sexual Assault
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Aggravated Assault
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Child Abuse or Neglect
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Child Sexual Abuse
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Child Pornography
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Drug Possession with Intent to Distribute
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Drug Trafficking
In addition to imprisonment, a person convicted of a felony will lose certain civil rights including the right to use, own or possess a firearm, the right to sit on a jury and the right to vote in public elections. Moreover, the consequences to one’s personal life will include difficulty in finding employment, getting licensed in certain professions, obtaining housing and in getting an education.
What is a wobbler crime in Muskogee, Oklahoma?
Sometimes an offense can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the nature of the offense itself. For example, the theft of property worth less than $500 is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma, while the theft of property with a worth in excess of $500 is a felony.
Moreover, a second charge for the same misdemeanor offense may be classified a felony. For example, if you are convicted of a DUI in Oklahoma a second time within a ten-year period, the DUI will be charged as a felony.
Low-cost Consultation: Muskogee Criminal Defense Attorney
A capable, experienced Muskogee criminal defense attorney at Wirth Law Office – Muskogee will carefully explain the process and alternatives you face, and are willing and able to explore all possible defenses and fight for you. In addition, if you have ever been arrested for a crime, or convicted of a criminal offense, you may want to have a Muskogee attorney petition the state court to expunge that blot on your past record.
Call an experienced Muskogee criminal defense attorney today at (918) 913-0725, or toll-free at 1 (888) 947-8452 (Wirth Law). If you prefer, you can use the box in the upper right-hand corner of this page to send a brief question or message.
