A felony is a serious crime punishable by at least one year in prison.
People convicted of felonies lose certain rights, such as the right to vote or hold public office.
During the term of sentence, the convicted person may also be prohibited from making contracts, marrying, suing or keeping certain professional licenses. Upon release from prison, the convict may also be required to register with the police. Often a crime which is a misdemeanor for the first offense becomes a felony for repeated offenses. All crimes that are not felonies are misdemeanors.