What’s the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony in Texas?

Gary Churak’s Answer

The difference between a misdemeanor and a felony is the severity of the criminal offense. Misdemeanors start at the lowest level, such as class C misdemeanor, which would be a traffic ticket or a minor possession of alcohol, an offense which is punishable by fine only. Then you have class B and A misdemeanors, in which the penalty is jail time in the county jail and fines. Felony charges are more serious. In a felony conviction, you can potentially be sent to the Texas Department of Corrections prison. There are multiple grades of felonies. The lowest is state jail felony with a maximum of 2 years in the state jail. There is a third-degree felony, which carries a sentence of 2 to 10 years in the Texas Department of Corrections (TDC) prison and a second-degree felony, which can be 2 to 10 in prison. A first-degree felony can entail a sentence of 5 to 99 years to life. In addition, you have a capital felony or capital offense, which carries a life sentence or the death penalty.