Felonies are punishable by incarceration in state prison or death in Virginia. Less serious crimes like misdemeanor offenses are punishable by 12 months in prison max. For more info on misdemeanor offense and crimes in Virginia, see Virginia Misdemeanor Crimes by the class and the sentences. In Virginia, felonies are designated from class 1 to class 6 (class 1 being the most serious whereas class 6 being the least serious) but lawmakers may also set detailed terms for certain crimes and offenses. (Va. Ann. Code § § 18.2-8, 18.2-9.)
Being charged with any crime is a frightening experience, and people often don’t know what the results entail. In Virginia, there is a multiple range of criminal charges that you can face, which are broken up into felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies and Misdemeanors are further broken up into different Classes, depending on the seriousness of the crimes. Felonies are classified into one to six, class 1 is considered as a most serious offense whereas the class 6 is the least serious. Class 3 felony offenses cover a wide range of criminal activities.
Typical class 3 felony offenses include: stalking, arson, kidnapping, a third DUI offense, and a weaponless burglary charge. Class 3 felony offenses fall within the middle of the range of overall felonies and therefore the punishment of it is also in the middle range as well. If charged with a Class 3 Felony, you face 5 to 20 years in prison maximum, and a fine of not more than $100,000, although the fine is not a mandatory penalty. A judge has significant leeway in charging someone for a class 3 felony offense. A judge or a jury will take a different variety of factors into account with the facts surrounding the case, the demeanor of the defendant and the sentencing guidelines.
Consequences of a Felony Conviction
In Virginia, a conviction of a felony crime has penalties outside of a fine and jail time. If you are convicted of a violent felony offense, you can lose your right to vote for the rest of your life. If, however, it is a non-violent felony offense, such as possession of any drug, or etc. then you may file a petition in the court to have your right to vote reinstalled once you’ve served your prison sentence, parole, probation, and pay restitution and all fines, which may take some time. Moreover, several other rights enjoyed by a variety of individuals are at risk if you are charged with a felony offense including owning a weapon, enlistment in the armed service, serving on a Grand Jury, or running for state office.
Facing a felony charge is scary. There are a lot of uncertainties when you are charged and you often do not know where to turn. Xxx Law Firm is here to help. We work on many different criminal matters and can help in many different circumstances. We are committed to advocating aggressively for all of our clients at every stage of the process. Contact our team today to see how we can help.