Criminal Punishments

The following are the general punishments under the law of Alabama that cover most misdemeanors and felonies.

Misdemeanors:

Class A misdemeanor: Up to one (1) year imprisonment in the county or municipal jail, or a fine up to $2000, or both.

Class B misdemeanor: Up to six (6) months imprisonment in the county or municipal jail, or a fine up to $1000, or both.

Class C misdemeanor: Up to three (3) months imprisonment in the county or municipal jail, or both.

Felonies:

Class A Felonies: Not less than ten (10) years and not more than life or ninety-nine (99) years imprisonment in the state penitentiary and may include a fine not to exceed $20,000.

Class B Felonies: Not less than two (2) years and not more than twenty (20) years imprisonment in the state penitentiary, and may include a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Class C Felonies: Not less than one (1) year and one (1) day and not more than ten (10) years imprisonment in the state penitentiary, and may include a fine not to exceed $5,000.

There are additional minimum jail terms for certain acts such as selling drugs near schools or housing projects. Additionally, offering drugs to anyone under the age of eighteen (18) is a Class A felony and the jail time imposed cannot be suspended or probation granted.

Additionally, if a firearm or deadly weapon is used in the commission of a crime, the minimum sentence for a Class A felony is twenty (20) years in the state penitentiary. For a class B or C felony, the minimum sentence is ten (10) years in the state penitentiary.

For a capital murder conviction, the sentence is either life without parole or the death penalty in Alabama.

This is just a general overview of the various punishments for criminal convictions in Alabama. Please contact us for further questions.

Contact Turner & Miller today for a free consultation.