What is it?

The most serious category of criminal offenses punishable by more than 1 year in prison.

Where do I go?

Felonies involving persons under 17 years of age are handled as delinquency cases in the Family Court where the minor resides. In some situations, the charge may be waived to the criminal division of the Circuit Court or can carry adult sentencing penalties in the Family Court. For felonies involving persons 17 years or older, the District Court where the offense occurred handles the initial stages of arraignment on the complaint and preliminary examination. If the District Court finds sufficient evidence, the case is bound over or transferred to the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court then handles the case after bind over including the arraignment on the information, pretrial, trial, plea and sentencing. If the defendant intends to plead guilty before a pretrial, the plea and sentencing will be handled in the District Court courtroom. The file will be transferred to the county clerk’s office after sentencing.