In most states, criminal charges are divided into two categories: misdemeanors and felonies.

Misdemeanors are minor offenses, such as petty theft or DUIs. With misdemeanors, defendants typically face a maximum of one year in a county jail and up to $1,000 in court fines, but they may be eligible for alternative sentencing, such as probation, community service, counseling, or a diversion program.

Felonies, on the other hand, apply to serious crimes such as homicide, rape, and grand theft, and come with equally harsh penalties. A felony conviction can result in life in a New Mexico state prison, up to $10,000 in fines, the loss of voting rights, being banned from owning a firearm, and having to report your conviction to future employers and on rental applications. There are also fewer options for alternative sentencing, and probation can be far stricter.

New Mexico has complex sentencing guidelines and classifications for misdemeanors and felonies. In New Mexico, as in most states, felonies are serious crimes that may be punished by a year or more in prison. In contrast, misdemeanors in New Mexico carry a potential punishment of less than a year in local jail.

For purposes of sentencing, New Mexico categorizes felonies into five groups: capital felonies and first-, second-, third-, and fourth-degree felonies. But the category of a felony isn’t the only thing that determines the sentence you’ll receive if you’re convicted. Other factors that could affect your sentence include your criminal history and the circumstances surrounding the crime.

In each of these cases, you need a strong defense to beat the charges against you. At Raymon Law Group, we provide aggressive, diligent, and thorough legal representation to our clients, no matter the charge they are facing. If you bring your case to us, we can explain how serious the case is against you and develop a game plan about how to have your charges reduced or dropped.