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Virginia and Class 3 Felonies

Being charged with a crime is a scary experience, and people often do not know what the consequences entail. In Virginia, there are a variety of criminal charges that you may face, which are broken up into misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanors and Felonies are further broken up into Classes, depending on their severity. Felonies are ranked from one to six, the higher the class the less serious the charge. Class 3 felonies cover a wide range of criminal actions.

Class 3 Felonies

Typical class 3 felonies include: arson, stalking, a third DUI offense, kidnapping, and a weaponless burglary charge. Class 3 felonies fall within the middle of the range of felonies and therefore the punishment is also in the middle range as well. If convicted of a Class 3 Felony you face 5 to 20 years in prison and up to $100,000, although the fine is not mandatory. A judge has considerable leeway in convicting someone for a class 3 felony. A judge will take a variety of factors into account including the facts surrounding the case, the sentencing guidelines and the demeanor of the defendant.

Consequences of a Felony Conviction

A conviction of a felony in Virginia has consequences outside of a fine and prison time. If you are convicted a violent felony, you will lose your right to vote permanently. If, however, it is a non-violent felony, such as possession of a drug, etc. then you may petition the court to have your right to vote restored once you have served your jail sentence, probation, parole, and pay all fines and restitution, which may take some time. Additionally, several other rights normally enjoyed by a variety of individuals are at risk if you are convicted of a felony including owning a firearm, enlistment in the armed service, running for state office, or serving on a Grand Jury.
Facing a felony charge is scary. There are a lot of uncertainties when you are charged and you often do not know where to turn. Shannon & Associates is here to help. We work on many different criminal matters and can help in many different circumstances. We are committed to advocating aggressively for all of our clients at every stage of the process. Contact our team today to see how we can help.

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