The distinction between them is based on the crime's seriousness and on the length of punishment.
Felonies are crimes generally punishable by more than one year's imprisonment.
You have the right to a jury trial when charged with a felony crime. The common law felonies include murder, rape, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and treason. See Felonies and Serious Crimes for definitions of some of the major felony crimes. Misdemeanors are crimes generally punishable by less than one year's imprisonment. You have the right to a jury trial when charged with a misdemeanor if the crime is considered serious enough to warrant a jury trial.