If you have been arrested and charged with a crime in Nebraska, you will certainly have many questions. These questions may well center around what type of penalties you may face if you are ultimately convicted. As you learn about the charges you face initially you may also want to learn about other levels of charges because during the defense process your ultimate charge may change such as if you enter into a plea bargain.
When it comes to criminal penalties, they will vary based upon the level of crime you are charged with. There are two broad classifications of crimes - misdemeanors and felonies. Misdemeanors are less serious offenses than felonies. According to the Nebraska Legislature, there are seven different levels of misdemeanor classifications. First, second and third drunk driving offenses are all Class W misdemeanors. They are the only type of misdemeanor that carries with them a required minimum amount of time in jail. Other misdemeanors are graded from Class I, the most serious, to Class V. In between those two are Class II, III, IIIA and IV charges.
Felony charges are broken out into 10 different classifications. The least serious are Class IV felonies. Moving up the ladder of severity are Class IIIA and then Class III felonies followed by Class IIA and Class II. Finally there are Class I felonies. The gravest is a Class I but there are also Class IA, IB, IC and ID charges.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but rather to give residents in Nebraska an overview of the many types and levels of criminal charges that a defendant could potentially face.