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Criminal Defense Resource Links

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Resource Links

Criminal defense resource links to guide you through the justice system

Capital Defense Handbook For Defendants and Their Families

“Capital Defense Handbook For Defendants and Their Families” provides information and advice about death-penalty cases from the defense point of view.

ACLU: Prisoners’ Rights

Resource provided by the American Civil Liberties Union with information on national and state efforts to recognize and protect prisoner’s rights.

Justice Denied

“Justice Denied” is a magazine devoted to helping people who have been wrongly convicted of crime in the U.S. and internationally.

The Sentencing Project

A national leader in the development of alternative sentencing programs and in research and advocacy about criminal justice policy.

Prison Policy Initiative

The Prison Policy Initiative conducts research and advocacy about incarceration and criminal justice policy.

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Bureau of Justice Statistics is a bureau of the U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Justice Programs. It provides statistics on crime, law enforcement, the justice system, corrections and related trends.

Death Penalty Information

Links to websites with important information and opinions about the death penalty worldwide.

Innocence Project

The Innocence Project® of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University dedicated to gaining the freedom of wrongly convicted criminal defendants by using DNA testing methods and to advocating for reform of the criminal justice system in this regard.

Federal Sentencing Report

Congressional Research Service (CRS) report to Congress about the state of federal sentencing.

Criminal Law and Procedure

Articles about a variety of criminal law topics provided by Wex, a public-access legal dictionary and encyclopedia sponsored and hosted by the Legal Information Institute (LII) at the Cornell Law School.

DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter.

Misdemeanors

Under federal criminal law and the criminal laws in about half of the states, a misdemeanor is a crime for which the maximum possible punishment is incarceration for less than a year. In other states, a misdemeanor may be defined as a crime punishable only by a fine or by incarceration in a jail. Some states have different classes of misdemeanors; for example, “petty offenses” that are punishable by six months or less in jail, and “simple” or “minor” misdemeanors that have a maximum punishment of 90 days in jail.

Generally, misdemeanors are crimes that are less violent or involve lower levels of harm than felonies do. The legal procedures for misdemeanors are usually simpler than for felonies, the penalties less severe and the long-term consequences less harsh.

  • Penalties typically include fines, loss of property, or incarceration in jail for less than one year.
  • There is no federal right to a grand jury for a misdemeanor, and state grand-jury rights for misdemeanors vary.
  • Court procedures may be more relaxed than those for felonies.
  • Indigent defendants are generally only eligible for free state-appointed legal counsel when the misdemeanor charges can result in imprisonment upon conviction.
  • Long-term consequences are normally less severe than those of felonies, although some of the felony consequences listed above may still apply to misdemeanors, depending on the jurisdiction. However, those convicted of misdemeanors generally retain the right to vote.
  • Generally, if the potential punishment is imprisonment for less than six months, there is no right to a jury trial. 

Minor criminal offenses

The least severe infractions are minor offenses, including traffic offenses. The terminology varies by state, but common terms for these offenses include petty offenses, infractions or violations of local law. Often the only penalty is a fine and sometimes the infraction may not even be considered a crime. Violations of local ordinances may be punishable by a fine or a short period of incarceration (maximum length of 90 days).

Secure Legal Counsel

It is important to keep in mind that crime classifications vary by jurisdiction and that this article provides general information. 

For immediate assistance, call Criminal Defense Attorney William M Butler, Jr., at (502) 237-0871, or contact him via email or text to schedule your initial confidential consultation. He can help you understand the details, potential punishment, and ramifications of a criminal charge in your jurisdiction.

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