What is a Felony?

A felony is a crime for which the punishment may be more than one year in a state or federal prison. In the state of Washington, there are three classes of felonies:

Class A felonies are the most serious and include maximum penalty of life in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Class B felonies carry a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Class C felonies carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

These Washington State felony classifications are further divided according to the seriousness of the crime committed. Washington State has a detailed system of sentencing guidelines that divide the felonies into 15 seriousness levels from Level I (least serious) to Level XV (most serious).

Felony crimes can also be divided into two general categories: violent (by act or intent) and non-violent. Some types of felonies are tried in state courts, while others are tried in the federal courts. Your Washington felony defense attorney will discuss these details with you.

Various felony crimes are non-violent in nature, such as white collar crimes, which occur in a business or professional setting and involve finances, where one party skillfully gains a financial advantage over another. About one in five felony convictions are for this type of offense. Other types of felonies which are typically non-violent include property crimes such as burglary and forgery. Felony drug offenses are also typically non-violent in nature and intent, such as drug possession or trafficking.

There are also several types of felony offenses that are considered violent in Washington State law. Violent types of felonies are those acts which pose or inflict bodily injury.

• Incarceration
• Fines
• Death penalty

Criminal charges and legal penalties will depend upon the type of crime committed, the evidence and various other circumstances. If the defendant is a repeat offender, he/she may be subject to enhanced criminal charges and a longer prison sentence. Due to the life-altering legal consequences that are involved, it is always in a person's best interest to obtain the services of a trial lawyer with the legal background and knowledge of Washington law that it takes to defend your case. A felony crime attorney from Kannin Law can vigorously defend you against your felony charges in Washington and ensure that your rights are protected.

Hiring an Experienced Attorney
Kannin Law Firm P.S. is a criminal defense law firm that has been helping clients throughout Washington State contest their criminal charges and obtain superior results for years. Our skilled attorneys have many years of collective courtroom experience and we are fully prepared to undertake our clients' cases. When we work with our clients, we do everything possible to make sure that they receive the attention, resources and dedicated legal counsel that they deserve. If you have been charged with a felony in Washington, we can assist you in the event you must face a criminal trial.

Serving all of Washington State
For our clients' convenience, we are in the vicinity of courthouses in Seattle, Shoreline, SeaTac, Burien, Des Moines, Redmond, Tacoma, Lynnwood, Tukwila, Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Bellevue, Newcastle, Redmond, Everett, Bremerton, and Factoria. We represent clients from King, Pierce, Kitsap and Snohomish counties, as well as all areas of Washington State. We are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Kannin Law Firm P.S.
16043 Sylvester Road SW
Burien, WA 98166