Missouri Felony & DUI Laws
The state of Missouri, like all other states, prosecutes crimes as either felonies or misdemeanors. Some crimes, like driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), are punishable as a felony or a misdemeanor, depending on the facts of the case. Both felonies and DUI charges in Missouri can bring with them serious consequences for anyone.
Other People Are Reading
-
Felonies vs. Misdemeanors
-
Missouri generally recognizes two classes of crimes: misdemeanors and felonies. A felony is generally classified as a crime that brings with it a potential punishment of over $1,000 in fines and a year or more in jail. A misdemeanor, on the other hand, is a crime where the punishments are less than those given for a felony offense. Minor traffic citations, petty charges and other lesser offenses are generally considered misdemeanors. Misdemeanors, and even some felonies, are often punished by periods of probation and fines, especially for those without a criminal history.
Missouri Felony Classes
-
The state of Missouri categorizes felonies in four classes: A, B, C and D. Class A felonies are the most serious, and include crimes such as murder and first-degree robbery. Class A felonies bring with them potential punishments of life imprisonment, death or 10 to 30 years' incarceration. Class B felonies are less serious, and include crimes like voluntary manslaughter and first-degree burglary. These crimes bring with them a maximum punishment of between 5 and 15 year's incarceration. Class C felonies include such crimes as second-degree assault and involuntary manslaughter. The maximum penalty for these crimes is a fine of up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 7 years. Class D felonies are the least serious, and include crimes like unlawful use of a weapon or passing a bad check. These crimes can be punished by up to 4 years' imprisonment and fines up to $5,000.
-
DUI General Laws
-
Missouri prohibits drivers from driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. In Missouri, this law is called driving while intoxicated, or DWI, though this is interchangeable with the term DUI. In general, DUIs are punished as misdemeanors, with punishments including potential fines and incarceration of less than 1 year in jail, as well as administrative revocation of driving privileges.
Felony DUI
-
In Missouri, having more than one DUI conviction can lead to a DUI charged as a felony. A third DUI offense in Missouri is charged as a Class D felony, while a fourth DUI offense is charged as a Class C felony. Missouri law requires that some jail time be served by anyone convicted of a felony DUI, whether or not probation is appropriate.
-
References
- Photo Credit missouri outline image by Kim Jones from Fotolia.com
