PMCW Law

In Missouri, there are three different types of criminal charges, including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. The type of crime you are charged with is determined by the elements of the offense, as well as the range of punishment the individual could receive. These three criminal charge categories differ significantly and the law offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. give you a reference guide below. Infractions An infraction, often called a violation or petty crime, is an offense that is typically penalized by fines, but not jail time. Traffic offenses are the most common form of infraction and these types of crimes may be handled in the municipal court. Misdemeanor A misdemeanor is less serious than a felony and tend to be the most common type of charge. Missouri categorizes misdemeanors into various classes: Class A through Class C. Class A misdemeanors are the most serious. Misdemeanor charges are issued by the state and include a wide...

Suppose you are in a situation where you feel you have been personally wronged, or you believe that several people have been put at risk. How do you take legal action? What type of action do you take? In our legal system, cases can take one of two forms: civil cases and criminal cases : Civil Law Civil Law cases address issues between individual persons and/or organizations. These cases usually arise when an individual (the "plaintiff") feels he/she has been wronged and seeks financial reimbursement or to prohibit and/or allow certain actions. The accused individual or organization (the "defendant") then has an opportunity to state their case and defend themselves. These types of cases generally involve situations that are unique to the plaintiff, such as individual loss of time/money/wages or the defendant's failure to uphold his/her end of a contract. Typically, the verdict of these cases favors whichever party produced the strongest evidence. In a ...