Unlike civil law where one sues for an injury, criminal law penalties involve money and liberty. A violation of the criminal law is punishable by imprisonment, fine, restitution and other penalty. Also, some acts that are crimes are also covered by the civil law of personal injury. This means that a person who is injured by a criminal act may bring a civil lawsuit to recover money damages from the person who committed the crime. The law of the United States is inherited from English law.
Felonies are crimes punishable by more than one year's imprisonment.
Because of the seriousness of the charge, you have the right to a jury trial when charged with a felony. Misdemeanors are crimes punishable by less than one year, usually in a county jail. States specify which misdemeanors are serious enough for a jury trial. Today, the federal government and each state legislature make up their own criminal law. This is statutory law because the legislation is written into statutes.