Felony is defined as?

• A. An offense punishable by fines only
• B. An offense for which a person may be sentenced to imprisonment in excess of one year - up to 60 years
• C. A violation not a crime
• D. A misdemeanor

Answer: (B)

The key idea is the level of severity and the potential punishment. A felony is a serious crime that can lead to imprisonment longer than one year. That distinction sets it apart from misdemeanors (which are punishable by up to one year in jail) and from violations or infractions (which are not crimes and often carry only fines or very light penalties). The option describing a possible sentence exceeding one year, up to the statute’s maximum (often stated as up to 60 years in some laws), matches this standard definition. Fines-only offenses aren’t felonies, and calling a violation “not a crime” misses that felonies are crimes with substantial penalties.