What is Class C Misdemeanor?

Misdemeanors get divided into three classes: A, B, C. Class C Misdemeanors are the lowest level of crimes. Know every detail about Class C Misdemeanor in this article.

Criminal Offences in Texas get divided into two categories:

• Felonies
• Misdemeanors

Felonies include the most serious crimes and commonly involve physical harm, theft of large scales, and deception or fraud. Misdemeanors are less serious crimes than felonies and result only in a fine or short time in prison. The level of seriousness and severity is also sub-divided under these categories:

• Class A
• Class B
• Class C

What is Class C Misdemeanor?

Class C Misdemeanors include the lowest level of crime. Class C Misdemeanors can result only in fines up to $500 which is much lower than Misdemeanors of other classes. Know more in the detail about What is Class C Misdemeanor on thetexasattorney.com.

Crimes under Class C Misdemeanors include:

• Public intoxication
• Most Traffic Tickets
• Disorderly conduct
• Bad Cheques of less than 20 Dollars
• Criminal Trespassing
• Simple Assault
• Gambling
• Bail Jumping
• Petty theft, including shoplifting of an item under 50 Dollar
• Leaving a child in vehicles
• Possession of alcohol or alcoholic beverages in motor vehicles
• Minor in possession of alcohol or tobacco
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

Effects of Class C Misdemeanor

• Class C Misdemeanor can negatively affect your life in many aspects that you may not have imagined, even though it is not a grave crime. 

If we take an example, receiving a traffic ticket can lead to the suspension of your driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and fines that hurt your pocket.

• A Class C Misdemeanor violation may also affect your ability to find a job classified as a prominent or your dream job. Many more ways might affect your ability to live your life as a regular citizen. 

Legal Proceeding of Class C Misdemeanor:

People charged with a Class C Misdemeanor may have to appear in a Municipal Court or before a Justice of the Peace. Same as in the case of a felony crime, a prosecutor represents the state in court proceedings. You will get provided with the right to hire an attorney. However, the court will not appoint an attorney for these cases.

The court can inflict sanctions or conditions for a specified span while the criminal proceedings are going on without a judgment of guilt and can delay, suspend or sentence a fine.

Additionally, the court could offer an adjudication. It does not imply that you have been pronounced not guilty, but it is also not a punishment. Considered a plea bargain agreement, it delays judgment and pending the result of a probation period.

If you complete the conditions of the probation that the court assigns, the charges can get dropped. You must plead guilty or no contest to receiving a deferred adjudication.

A Class C Misdemeanor could be canceled from one’s record under a particular condition if the defendant meets specific requirements, including community supervision and adjourned disposition. It allows a defendant not to declare the offense on paper, but he/she still must do accordingly under oath.

Hiring an attorney to drop charges of Class C Misdemeanors

• Class C Misdemeanor is not known to be the most severe crime. However, one may still want to have the assistance of an accomplished attorney who will be able to help you get the charges dismissed or ultimately canceled from your record entirely.

• Before you take a plea, plead guilty, or have No Trial, the attorney will not only help you with your case but also advise you about your legal rights and responsibilities along with the full range of collateral results. 

• An attorney will also be able to ensure that the process is in a way that provides for an expunction so that the condemnation will no longer appear in your records.

States and their Misdemeanors

The following states have classified their misdemeanors or levels, or some other ranking system differently from each other: 

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and, Washington.

Conclusion

Different states have different concepts of the severity of crimes. Crimes based on severity get classified as Felonies and Misdemeanors. The most severe ones are felonies, and the less serious ones are misdemeanors. Misdemeanors further get divided into three subcategories as A, B, and C. Class C is the least serious crime among all of them.

The court proceeding of Class C Misdemeanors is almost the same as the Felony cases, but the severity of sentences is less. Still, the effects of the sentences you got if charged under this case may affect your life in the long run. If you appoint an experienced attorney, you may be able to close your case as soon as possible without even getting any sentence.