Which statement about misdemeanors is true?

Which statement about misdemeanors is true?

• A. They are punished by life imprisonment
• B. They are punished only by fines
• C. They involve jail time only in excess of one year
• D. They involve punishment of not more than a year in jail or a fine

Answer: (D)

Misdemeanors are the less serious class of offenses, with penalties limited to up to one year in jail and/or a fine. This threshold is what sets them apart from felonies, which carry longer sentences. The statement that describes punishment as not more than a year in jail or a fine matches this definition exactly. Life imprisonment is reserved for felonies, not misdemeanors. And jail time exceeding one year would place the offense in the felony category. Some misdemeanors can involve jail time rather than just a fine, so a description limited to fines would be too narrow.

Misdemeanors are the less serious class of offenses, with penalties limited to up to one year in jail and/or a fine. This threshold is what sets them apart from felonies, which carry longer sentences. The statement that describes punishment as not more than a year in jail or a fine matches this definition exactly. Life imprisonment is reserved for felonies, not misdemeanors. And jail time exceeding one year would place the offense in the felony category. Some misdemeanors can involve jail time rather than just a fine, so a description limited to fines would be too narrow.