Felony

Felony in Law Enforcement

Main Entry: Law Enforcement in the Legal Dictionary. This section provides, in the context of Law Enforcement, a partial definition of felony.

Grammar

This term is a noun.

Etimology of Felony

(You may find felony at the world legal encyclopedia and the etimology of more terms).

c. 1300, “treachery, betrayal; deceit; villainy, wickedness, sin, crime; violent temper, wrath; ruthlessness; evil intention,” from Old French felonie (12c.) “wickedness, evil, treachery, perfidy, crime, cruelty, sin,” from Gallo-Roman *fellonia, from fellonem “evil-doer” (see felon). As a class of crime in common law, also from c. 1300, from Anglo-French. The exact definition changed over time and place, and even the distinction from misdemeanor or trespass is not always observed. In old use often a crime involving forfeiture of lands, goods, or a fee or a crime punishable by death. Variously used in the U.S.; often the sense is “crime punishable by death or imprisonment in a state penitentiary.”

Meaning of Felony in Spanish

Description/ translation of felony into Spanish: (in the law of the United States/ en el derecho de los Estados Unidos) delito grave; = (in the law of England and Wales/ en el derecho de Inglaterra y Gales) indictable offence[1]

Note: for more information on related terms and on the area of law where felony belongs (criminal procedure law), in Spanish, see here.

Notes and References

1. Translation of Felony published by Antonio Peñaranda

Resources

See Also

• Law Enforcement Officer
• Police Work
• Law Enforcement Agency

Further Reading

• felony in A Dictionary of Law Enforcement (Oxford University Press)
• felony in the Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement
• A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis

English Legal System: Felony

In the context of the English law, A Dictionary of Law provides the following legal concept of Felony :

Formerly, an offence more serious than a *misdemeanour. Since 1967 the term has been abandoned (although it is retained in pre-1967 statutes that are still in force) and the law formerly relating to misdemeanours now applies to felonies.

See also arrestable offence; indictable offence; summary offence.

felony: Vocabulary part of speech

felony (noun)

Meaning of this part of speech

a major crime (e.g. murder)

felony in an Example Sentence

Murder is considered a felony and is punishable by life in prison.

Felony Meaning in the U.S. Court System

A serious crime carrying a penalty of more than one year in prison. Compare with “misdemeanor.”

Meaning of Felony in the U.S. Legal System

Definition of Felony published by the National Association for Court Management: A crime of a graver nature than a misdemeanor, usually punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary for more than a year and/or substantial fines.

Felony (Criminal Judicial Process)

Felony

Felony

Felony