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:
Last updated: September 9, 2024
Felony probation is a sentencing alternative to prison. It allows convicted felons to serve all or part of their sentence out of custody but under the supervision of a probation officer. Felony probation is also known as “formal probation.” Not all defendants qualify. A judge determines eligibility by considering a variety of factors, such as the defendant’s criminal […]
