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What is a Felony in Indiana?

A felony in Indiana is a criminal offense that attracts more than one year jail sentence. They are the most serious of all criminal offenses in Indiana. An offender that is convicted of a felony is referred to as a felon. Felonies are punishable by a jail term of at least one year and a maximum of 65 years imprisonment. The worst crime in Indiana is murder although it is an unclassified felony. It is mostly punishable by a long term imprisonment of between 45 and 65 years, which may also include the court imposing a fine of up to $10,000 on the defendant.

Felonies in Indiana differ in terms of severity. Simply put, all felonies do not carry the same weight as some are more serious than others. Before 2014, felonies in Indiana were established as Class A-D with Class A being the most serious and Class D being the least serious. However, since 2014, felonies in Indiana have been grouped into six groups (Level 1–6) including murder which is an unclassified felony and is punishable with 45–65 years imprisonment or death. In order of severity, categories of felonies in Indiana include;

• Level 1 felony: 20 to 40 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Level 2 felony: 10 to 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Level 3 felony: 3 to 16 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Level 4 felony: 2 to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
• Level 5 felony: 1 to six years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000
• Level 6 felony: May be considered a misdemeanor, in which case 6 months imprisonment may apply. If considered a felony, up to 2.5 years imprisonment may apply and a fine of up to $10,000.

The penalties summarized above may also be accompanied with either therapy, probation, or electronic monitoring.

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