In California, a felony is a crime that carries a maximum sentence of more than one year in jail or prison. The most serious California felonies can even be punished by death.
People convicted of a felony may also be fined up to $10,000 in addition to, or instead of, imprisonment.
Alternatively, a judge might sentence a felony offender to formal (felony) probation. If granted felony probation the offender will serve, at most, one year in county jail.
To help you better understand the definitions and consequences of a felony conviction in California, our criminal defense lawyers discuss the following, below: