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A criminal offense, less serious than a felony. In many states this means a sentence of less than one year. In Pennsylvania Misdemeanor sentences can exceed this depending on the degree of charge and prior criminal history.
Misdemeanor (Wikipedia)
A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions (also known as minor, petty, or summary offences) and regulatory offences. Typically misdemeanors are punished with monetary fines or community service.
Misdemeanor (Wiktionary)
English
Alternative forms
- misdemeanour (UK)
Etymology
mis- + demeanor
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːnə(ɹ
