Felony is defined as:

Felony is defined as:

• A. A crime punishable by more than one year in prison
• B. A crime punishable by five days in prison or less
• C. A crime punishable by fines only
• D. A crime punishable by death

Answer: (A)

Felonies are defined by the potential punishment, specifically more than one year in prison. This threshold is the standard way to separate serious crimes from less serious ones. So a crime punishable by more than a year in prison fits the definition of a felony, while crimes punishable by up to one year (misdemeanors) or by fines only (infractions) do not. Death can be a punishment for some felonies in certain jurisdictions, but the defining point remains the possible imprisonment exceeding one year.

Felonies are defined by the potential punishment, specifically more than one year in prison. This threshold is the standard way to separate serious crimes from less serious ones. So a crime punishable by more than a year in prison fits the definition of a felony, while crimes punishable by up to one year (misdemeanors) or by fines only (infractions) do not. Death can be a punishment for some felonies in certain jurisdictions, but the defining point remains the possible imprisonment exceeding one year.