There are three levels of criminal offenses someone could be charged with:
- Citation
- Misdemeanor
- Felony
A citation is usually for less-serious, non-violent crimes that require the charged individual to go to court but won't land them in jail. A felony is for serious crimes like murder and usually has the person go to a state or federal prison for a long time. Misdemeanors are in between those two. It's more serious than a citation and can result in jail time, but not serious enough to land you in prison. When in jail for a misdemeanor, you may have a chance to be let out with bail.
Common Misdemeanors
Some of the most recurring misdemeanors include:
- Illegal gun possession
- Physical assault
- Possession of drugs
- Traffic violations
- Theft or destruction of property
- Obscenity
There is a circumstance where the crime could be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the situation. These are known as wobblers. Some states have special wobbler laws, while others do not.
Types of Misdemeanors
Outside of standard misdemeanors and wobblers are the unclassified and gross misdemeanors. This criminal offense falls into different classes, like Class A, Class B, Class 1, Class 2, and much more.
For the misdemeanors that don't easily fall under these classes, like gambling violations, they are labeled as unclassified. A gross misdemeanor is more serious than typical misdemeanors, but not serious enough to be a felony. How they are classified depends on the state, but one example of this type of criminal offense is drunk driving. You will get punished more harshly for a gross misdemeanor than a typical one.
Andy Callif Bail Bonds Can Help Today
So you committed a small misdemeanor and you can't afford to lose your job over jailtime. Sadly, you can't afford to get out of jail with the large bail hanging over your head. That's why there are bail bonds. These are like loans for bail, where you can immediately get out of jail and continue your life until your court date. You only have to pay a small amount upfront and then the rest over time.
If you're looking for a bail bondsman in Columbus, Ohio, then contact Andy Callif Bail Bonds and we'll help you get out of jail sooner.