What Is the Difference Between an A and B Misdemeanor?

Criminals convicted of misdemeanors receive fines and/or limited jail time.

The United States legal system considers misdemeanors lesser crimes than felonies and categorizes them in different classes, such as Class A, Class B and Class C. People convicted of misdemeanors typically receive a lesser punishment than those convicted of felonies. Individual states impose different monetary and imprisonment limits, depending on the class of misdemeanor committed.

Class A

Class A is the most serious of misdemeanors. Examples of Class A misdemeanors include driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia, battery, assault, illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and theft.

Class B

A Class B misdemeanor is a less serious crime than Class A and more serious than Class C. Examples of Class B misdemeanors include telephone harassment, trespassing, shoplifting and possession of cannabis with the intent to use and not to sell.

Fines

Limits on fines vary greatly by state. For example, a person convicted of a Class A misdemeanor in Illinois may be fined up to $2,500 in 2011; in Indiana, that amount is $5000 and in Wisconsin, it is $10,000. A Class B misdemeanor carries a fine up to $1500 in Illinois and $1000 in Indiana and Wisconsin.

Imprisonment

Jail time for misdemeanors is served in county or local jails instead of federal or state prisons and varies by state. For example, in Illinois and Texas, a Class A misdemeanor conviction may carry a term of up to one year in jail, while a Class B carries up to six months in jail. In Wisconsin, Class A and Class B misdemeanors are punishable up to two years in jail.

References

• Indiana Penal Code
• Texas Penal Code
• Van Wagner and Woods: Misdemeanors