How do I know if I'm charged with a felony?

In Louisiana, criminal charges are either misdemeanors or felonies. As a general rule, misdemeanors are less serious and much less punitive than felonies. Louisiana’s criminal definition statute is found in Title 14 of the Revised Statutes, Section 2. Subsections (4) and (6) define “felony” and “misdemeanor”.

A felony in Louisiana is

“Any crime for which an offender may be sentenced to death or imprisonment at hard labor."

A misdemeanor in Louisiana is

“Any crime other than a felony.”

The other major difference between a felony and a misdemeanor in Louisiana is that individuals charged with felonies are entitled to trial by jury. Although an individual charged with a felony can waive his right to a jury trial, people charged with misdemeanors are only entitled to trial by judge.