If you are indicted and charged with a felony in New York, you can be certain of one thing: you will face an aggressive prosecution, and the consequences if convicted can be life-altering. Depending on the specifics of your case, a conviction for a felony can send you to prison for a very long time.
But how will your conviction for a felony impact your rights after paying your price to society? Can you vote, own a firearm or serve on a jury? To answer these questions, it helps to start off by understanding how New York laws categorise felony convictions:
New York felony classification
Under New York laws, felonies are categorised into five classes – Class A, B,C,D and E. Class A felony is the most serious of the five felony classes. If you are accused of first-degree murder, you will be facing a Class A felony charge.
Class B felonies are equally serious offenses. Crimes that fall under Class B felony include rape, manslaughter, first-degree assault and certain forms of drug trafficking and armed robbery.
Class C and D felonies are lesser crimes and can include certain types of theft and robberies, certain drug crimes and fraud.
So what rights will you lose if you are convicted of a felony in New York?
You will lose the following legal rights and privileges if you are charged with a felony in New York:
- Your voting right while serving your jail time
- Your right to purchase or own a firearm
- Your right to sit on a jury
- Your driving privileges (in certain cases like drunk driving)
Fighting for your rights
Being charged with a felony is a big deal. Knowing your legal options can help you safeguard your rights and interests when facing a felony charge in New York.