Infraction crimes are not punishable by imprisonment.A person charged with an infraction is not entitled to a trial by jury, and is not entitled to be represented by Court-appointed counsel at public expense unless the person is held in custody. The most common infractions are vehicle moving violations, which are typically charged/filed on traffic citations.

Infraction violations usually do not require a Court appearance and can be processed in the Clerk’s Office. However, if a defendant wishes to appear in Court, he or she may schedule a Court date to appear for arraignment and/or court trial.

Misdemeanor crimes are punishable by a maximum fine of $1000 and a county jail term of one year or less. However, some offenses exceed these general criteria; for example, spousal abuse can carry a $6000 maximum fine. Common examples of misdemeanor violations include petty theft, prostitution, vandalism, and driving under the influence.

Felony crimes are punishable by a state prison term or death. Common examples of felony crimes are murder, possession of dangerous drugs for sale, robbery and rape.