重罪（Felony）与轻罪（Misdemeanor）的区别_法律术语

　英国1967年刑法条例已废除misdemeanour和felony之间的一切区别，但是在美国，这两者还是有区别的，下面就让我们来看看区别在哪里。

　most states in usa divide their crimes into two major groups —— felonies and misdemeanors. whether a crime falls into one category or the other depends on the potential punishment. if a law provides for imprisonment for longer than a year， the crime is usually considered a felony. if the potential punishment is for a year or less， then the act is considered a misdemeanor. in some states， certain crimes， called "wobblers，" may be either a misdemeanor or a felony， because the judge has the power to impose a sentence of less than a year （making the crime a misdemeanor） or more than a year （making it a felony）。

　behaviors punishable only by fine are usually not considered crimes at all， but infractions —— traffic tickets， for example. but a legislature may on occasion punish behavior only by fine and still provide that it is a misdemeanor， such as possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for personal use in california.