Legal Defense of Felony and Misdemeanor Offenses
What Is the Difference Between Felony and Misdemeanor?
FELONY
A criminal offense that carries one (1) year or more in prison.
MISDEMEANOR
A crime punishable by less than one (1) year in the custody of a jail.
Both Have Serious Consequences in Mississippi
While the severity of the punishments between felonies and misdemeanors is important, a myriad of other case specific consequences will always be present no matter the offense classification.
MS Misdemeanor Convictions
For example, a misdemeanor DUI charge in Mississippi exposes a person to the mandatory state-level punishment (if convicted) of a fine, suspension of driving privileges, attendance at the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (also known as “MASEP), and completion of Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s (MADD’s) Victim Impact Panel. Beyond that, judges have discretion to impose probation, alcohol & drug testing, and the like to those convicted of a misdemeanor DUI here in the Magnolia State.
MS Felony Convictions
As for felony charges, many of them that result in convictions have disenfranchising effects. These repercussions range from the loss of voting rights and the deprivation of the right to possess firearms or other weapons. This is all on top of the very real possibility of one being ordered to serve time in a prison if adjudicated as guilty of a felony offense.
The Law May Judge You Individually
Still more, from individual to individual, there are various collateral consequences, no matter the kind of criminal charge and no matter whether that criminal charge is a felony or a misdemeanor. A professional with a regulated license for her career, for instance, faces sanctions from the overseeing board, in addition to the consequences that could be imposed by a Mississippi court when charged with a serious misdemeanor or any felony.
Business Related Felony?
A company manager charged with a felony? He may potentially be demoted to a lower position while his case is pending and then fired if convicted. While these are just general examples of collateral consequences, the kinds and specific numbers of them are difficult, if not impossible, to predict. They must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Receive a Unique and Custom Plan for Justice
In my experience, the high volume of various jurisdictions that I have handled cases in (in 74 of the state’s 82 counties) and the large amount of different kinds of people from many walks of life and backgrounds – whether a client is charged with a misdemeanor or a felony — he or she deserves a unique and customized plan for taking on the case with the goal of achieving successful results. While some fundamental tasks may be standardized, the majority of what I do involves intense attention to detail and not a cookie-cutter approach in developing the playbook for executing the defense strategies.
My Felony Criminal Defense Experience includes, but is not limited to…
- Drug Offenses, including Trafficking, Possession with Intent to Distribute, & Prescription Fraud
- Felony DUI Charges, including 3rd and 4th and Subsequent Offenses
- Violent Offenses, such as Murder, Manslaughter, Culpable Negligence Homicide, Aggravated DUI, and Aggravated Assault
- Property Crimes, such as Burglary and Embezzlement
- Conspiracy Offenses
- Sexual Offenses, such as Sexual Battery and Possession of Illegal Content & Images
- Crimes Affecting Administration of Justice, including Retaliation Against Public Officials
My Misdemeanor Criminal Defense Experience includes, but is not limited to…
- Alcohol Charges, such as Misdemeanor DUI, Minor in Possession of Alcohol, Public Intoxication, & so forth
- Drug Possession and Paraphernalia Offenses
- Property Crimes, such as Petit Larceny and Shoplifting
- Violent Offenses, such as Simple Assault and Domestic Violence
- Other Misdemeanor Offenses, such as Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest, Disturbing the Peace, Possession of a Fake ID, & Malicious Mischief
My Overall Experience related to All of the Above includes:
- Jury Trials
- Bench Trials
- Motion Hearings
- Preliminary Hearings
- Bond Reduction Hearings
- Settlement and Status Conferences
- Revocation Hearings
- Appeals, both de novo to higher trial courts, and “on the record” to the Mississippi Supreme Court and/or Court of Appeals
- Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the Supreme Court of the United States of America
Trust Lance Mixon, Criminal Defense Lawyer
As a Sustaining Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), I am always learning. Always finding ways to get more creative. Always improving and getting better. Success is not a destination. It is a journey. And the journey that I am on includes a defined purpose of doing my best to succeed for the people that I represent.