Possible Consequences Of A Felony Conviction

The penalties for being convicted of a felony often depend on the prison sentence or possible imprisonment term. For example, if you are convicted of a crime that could land you in jail for a year, you aren’t eligible to serve on a federal jury.

In Utah, you can vote if you are a felon. The exception to this is that you can’t vote while you are incarcerated. Once you are released, even if you are on parole or probation, you can still vote.

As a convicted felon, you likely might not be able to hold a public office. An example would be if you are found guilty of being a party to a civil disorder event, you would be forbidden from seeking public office for at least five years.

There are some convictions, such as an international trafficking conviction, that would stop you from getting a passport. Other felony charges, including drug charges, are considered when applying for a passport. Even if you have a passport, companies can opt to keep you out based on your criminal history.

Making sure you don’t lose your freedoms is likely a priority for you. It is important for you to understand each stop of the way how your choices can affect the case. Make sure you understand what you are going to do as your case moves forward through the criminal justice system.

Source: The United States Department of Justice, “Federal Statutes Imposing Collateral Consequences Upon Conviction,” accessed May. 08, 2015