A crime usually punishable upon conviction by a small fine or by a short term of imprisonment. Crimes which are punishable by large fines or by longer imprisonment are usually called felonies
Offenses punishable by fine or imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both Operating Under the Influence of Liquor (OUIL), Driving While License Suspended (DWLS), Assault and Battery, Domestic Violence and Possession of Marijuana are examples of misdemeanor offenses processed at the district court
A crime, other than a felony or an infraction, punishable by payment of a fine or by imprisonment not to exceed one year in the county jail (see Felony, Infraction) Misdemeanors are generally categorized as follows: Group A-Includes nontraffic misdemeanor violations of the Penal Code and other state statutes, but excludes Fish and Game Code violations and intoxication complaints Group B-Includes nontraffic misdemeanor violations of local city and county ordinances, Fish and Game Code violations, and intoxication complaints Group C-Includes violations of Vehicle Code sections 20002 (hit and run, property damage), 23104 (reckless driving, causing injury), and 23152 (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) Group D-Includes all traffic misdemeanor violations that are not included in the Group C misdemeanor group
A crime less serious than a felony for which the maximum sentence is usually not more than one year in a county jail A sentence usually involves probation, jail time, a fine, or a combination of any or all of these three Except in certain specific instances, persons convicted of a misdemeanor cannot be sentenced to prison
A criminal offense considered less serious than a felony Misdemeanors generally are punishable by a fine or a limited local jail term, but not by imprisonment in a state penitentiary
- Criminal offenses less than felonies; generally those punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than 90 days in a local facility A gross misdemeanor is a criminal offense for which an adult could be sent to jail for up to one year, pay a fine of up to $1,000, or both