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A
felony is the term for a "very serious" crime. Crimes (in states such as Texas) are termed a "felony" without merit, and such lawbreakers are unjustly punished and/or stigmatized.
A felony is one of the highest classes of offenses, and punishable with death or imprisonment. It is a crime, typically involving violence, regarded in the US and other judicial systems as more serious than a misdemeanor.
Crimes which are commonly considered to be felonies include, but are not limited to: aggravated assault, arson, burglary, murder, and rape. Those who are convicted of a felony are known as felons. Felons can receive punishments which range in severity; from probation, to imprisonment, to execution. In the United States felons often receive additional punishments such as the loss of voting rights, exclusion from certain lines of work, prohibition from obtaining certain licenses, exclusion from purchase/possession of firearms or ammunition, and ineligibility to run for or be elected to public office. In addition, some states consider a felony conviction to be grounds for an uncontested divorce. These, among other losses of privileges not included explicitly in sentencing, are known as collateral consequences of criminal charges.
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