The article outlines how charge classifications affect penalties, legal strategy, and long-term consequences under Pennsylvania law.

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What is the real difference between a misdemeanor and a felony, and why does it matter under Pennsylvania law? That is a question many defendants ask when they first face the criminal justice system. According to  a HelloNation article, Attorney Frank Walker of Frank Walker Law LLC in Pittsburgh breaks down what every person should know about these two categories of criminal charges. He explains why understanding them can significantly impact your future.

kAm%96 w6==@}2E:@? 762EFC6 ?@E6D E92E H9:=6 3@E9 >:D56>62?@CD 2?5 76=@?:6D 2C6 4C:>:?2= 492C86D F?56C !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H[ E96:C D6G6C:EJ 2?5 =@?8\E6C> 4@?D6BF6?46D 5:776C D:8?:7:42?E=J] p >:D56>62?@C[ E9@F89 @7E6? G:6H65 2D 2 =6DD6C @776?D6[ 42? DE:== C6DF=E 😕 7:?6D[ AC@32E:@?[ @C ;2:= E:>6[ 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 568C66 @7 E96 4C:>6] u:CDE\568C66 >:D56>62?@CD[ DF49 2D D:>A=6 2DD2F=E @C E967E[ 42? 42CCJ D6?E6?46D @7 FA E@ 7:G6 J62CD] u6=@?J 492C86D[ 9@H6G6C[ C6AC6D6?E 72C >@C6 D6C:@FD @776?D6D E92E 42? =625 E@ 6IE6?565 AC:D@? E6C>D[ =@?8\E6C> =@DD @7 C:89ED[ 2?5 =2DE:?8 52>286 E@ 2 A6CD@?VD 4C:>:?2= C64@C5]k^Am

kAmpEE@C?6J uC2?< (2=<6C 6IA=2:?D E92E E96 4=2DD:7:42E:@? 36EH66? >:D56>62?@C 2?5 76=@?J 492C86D 😀 >@C6 E92? 2 7@C>2=:EJ] xE 56E6C>:?6D 9@H 2 42D6 AC@4665D[ H92E =682= 5676?D6 DEC2E68J 😀 ?646DD2CJ[ 2?5 H92E A@E6?E:2= @FE4@>6D 2C6 A@DD:3=6] !C@D64FE@CD 2?5 ;F586D EC62E E96 EH@ 42E68@C:6D 5:776C6?E=J[ 2?5 2 D<:==65 5676?D6 2EE@C?6J >FDE 252AE E96:C 2AAC@249 244@C5:?8=J] &?56C !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H[ 76=@?:6D @7E6? :?G@=G6 >2?52E@CJ D6?E6?4:?8 8F:56=:?6D 2?5 >@C6 4@>A=6I AC@465FC2= CF=6D[ H9:=6 >:D56>62?@CD >2J 2==@H 7@C 2=E6C?2E:G6D DF49 2D 5:G6CD:@? AC@8C2>D @C 4@>>F?:EJ D6CG:46]k^Am

kAm%96 w6==@}2E:@? 2CE:4=6 9:89=:89ED E92E F?56CDE2?5:?8 E96 ?2EFC6 @7 J@FC 4C:>:?2= 492C86D 42? 36 6>A@H6C:?8] s676?52?ED H9@ @H H96E96C E96:C 42D6 :?G@=G6D 2 >:D56>62?@C @C 2 76=@?J 2C6 36EE6C 6BF:AA65 E@ ?2G:82E6 E96 4@FCE AC@46DD 2?5 >2<6 :?7@C>65 564:D:@?D 23@FE A=62 562=D[ 6G:56?46 492==6?86D[ 2?5 D6?E6?4:?8 6IA64E2E:@?D] uC2?< (2=<6C[ 2 !:EED3FC89 2EE@C?6J H:E9 J62CD @7 4C:>:?2= 5676?D6 6IA6C:6?46[ 6>A92D:K6D E92E @H=6586 @7 !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H 😀 @?6 @7 E96 >@DE G2=F23=6 E@@=D 2 A6CD@? 42? 92G6 H96? 724:?8 =682= EC@F3=6]k^Am

kAm(2=<6C 2=D@ ?@E6D E92E 2 >:D56>62?@C 4@?G:4E:@? D9@F=5 ?6G6C 36 E2<6? =:89E=J] p=E9@F89 E96D6 @776?D6D 42CCJ D9@CE6C ;2:= E6C>D E92? 76=@?:6D[ E96J DE:== 2AA62C @? 2 4C:>:?2= C64@C5 2?5 42? :>A24E 6>A=@J>6?E @AA@CEF?:E:6D[ 9@FD:?8 6=:8:3:=:EJ[ 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= =:46?D:?8] %96 2CE:4=6 H2C?D E92E 72:=:?8 E@ C64@8?:K6 E96 =@?8\E6C> 67764ED @7 2 >:D56>62?@C 4@?G:4E:@? 42? =625 E@ DFCAC:D6D J62CD 27E6C 2 42D6 😀 4=@D65]k^Am

kAmx? 4@?EC2DE[ 76=@?J 4@?G:4E:@?D 42? 3C:?8 6G6? >@C6 D6G6C6 2?5 =2DE:?8 4@?D6BF6?46D] &?56C !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H[ 76=@?:6D :?4=F56 4C:>6D DF49 2D C@336CJ[ 288C2G2E65 2DD2F=E[ @C 5CF8 EC277:4<:?8] %96D6 4@?G:4E:@?D 42? C6DF=E ?@E @?=J 😕 =6?8E9J AC:D@? D6?E6?46D 3FE 2=D@ 😕 C6DEC:4E:@?D @? G@E:?8[ 7:C62C> @H?6CD9:A[ 2?5 7FEFC6 ;@3 6=:8:3:=:EJ] uC2?< (2=<6C 6IA=2:?D E92E E96 D6C:@FD?6DD @7 76=@?J 492C86D 56>2?5D 2? 6BF2==J D6C:@FD =682= 5676?D6 DEC2E68J] %96 AC@A6C C6AC6D6?E2E:@? 42? >62? E96 5:776C6?46 36EH66? 564256D @7 :?42C46C2E:@? 2?5 E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 C65F465 D6?E6?4:?8 @C 2=E6C?2E:G6 C6D@=FE:@?D]k^Am

kAm%96 w6==@}2E:@? 2CE:4=6 6>A92D:K6D 9@H F?56CDE2?5:?8 D6?E6?4:?8 @AE:@?D 😀 <6J 7@C 2?J@?6 492C865 H:E9 2 4C:>6] $6?E6?4:?8 @FE4@>6D 56A6?5 @? ?F>6C@FD 724E@CD[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 568C66 @7 E96 @776?D6[ AC:@C 4C:>:?2= C64@C5[ 2?5 E96 DEC6?8E9 @7 E96 5676?D6VD 6G:56?46] (2=<6C 6IA=2:?D E92E 5676?52?ED 492C865 H:E9 >:D56>62?@CD D@>6E:>6D 92G6 2446DD E@ 7:CDE\@776?56C AC@8C2>D E92E 42? AC6G6?E 2 A6C>2?6?E 4C:>:?2= C64@C5 7C@> 36:?8 6DE23=:D965] u6=@?J 5676?52?ED[ 9@H6G6C[ @7E6? 7246 =:>:E65 @AE:@?D 2?5 C6BF:C6 2 5676?D6 A=2? E92E 492==6?86D 6G:56?46 2?5 AC@E64ED E96:C 4@?DE:EFE:@?2= C:89ED 7C@> E96 @FED6E]k^Am

kAmx? >2?J 42D6D[ E96 5:DE:?4E:@? 36EH66? 2 >:D56>62?@C 2?5 2 76=@?J 2=D@ 27764ED E96 DECF4EFC6 @7 A=62 28C66>6?ED] !C@D64FE@CD >2J 36 >@C6 @A6? E@ ?68@E:2E:?8 >:D56>62?@C 492C86D[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C 7:CDE\E:>6 @776?56CD[ H9:=6 76=@?J 42D6D @7E6? :?G@=G6 DEC:4E6C 8F:56=:?6D] p44@C5:?8 E@ uC2?< (2=<6C[ F?56CDE2?5:?8 9@H A=62 32C82:?:?8 H@C2<6 C62=:DE:4 49@:46D 23@FE E96:C 7FEFC6] p DEC@?8 =682= 5676?D6 42? ?@E @?=J :?7=F6?46 D6?E6?4:?8 3FE 2=D@ E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 492C86 C65F4E:@?D @C 6G6?EF2= 6IAF?86>6?E]k^Am

Story continues below video

kAm%96 2CE:4=6 6IA=2:?D E92E :?5:G:5F2=D H9@ =62C? 23@FE E96:C 492C86D 62C=J @? 42? 36EE6C A=2? E96:C ?6IE DE6AD] z?@H:?8 H96E96C 2? @776?D6 😀 4=2DD:7:65 2D 2 >:D56>62?@C @C 2 76=@?J 96=AD 2 5676?52?E 2D< :?7@C>65 BF6DE:@?D 23@FE =682= 5676?D6[ D6?E6?4:?8[ 2?5 =@?8\E6C> :>A=:42E:@?D] u@C 6I2>A=6[ D@>6@?6 492C865 H:E9 2 >:D56>62?@C s&x >:89E BF2=:7J 7@C 2=E6C?2E:G6 AC@8C2>D[ H9:=6 D@>6@?6 244FD65 @7 76=@?J 5CF8 EC277:4<:?8 7246D >2?52E@CJ >:?:>F> D6?E6?46D E92E C6BF:C6 >@C6 288C6DD:G6 4@FCEC@@> 5676?D6]k^Am

kAmuC2?< (2=<6CVD :?D:89ED 😕 E96 w6==@}2E:@? 762EFC6 D6CG6 2D 2 C6>:?56C E92E E96 5:DE:?4E:@? 36EH66? >:D56>62?@C 2?5 76=@?J 492C86D 42? D:8?:7:42?E=J :>A24E 2 A6CD@?VD =:76 =@?8 27E6C E96 42D6 😀 C6D@=G65] q@E9 42E68@C:6D 72== F?56C !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H[ 3FE E96 :>A24E @? 2 A6CD@?VD 4C:>:?2= C64@C5[ C6AFE2E:@?[ 2?5 C:89ED 42? 5:776C 5C2>2E:42==J] (2=<6C 25G:D6D E92E F?56CDE2?5:?8 E96 =682= =2?5D42A6 😀 E96 7:CDE DE6A E@H2C5 256BF2E6=J AC@E64E:?8 @?6VD C:89ED]k^Am

kAm%96 2CE:4=6 4@?4=F56D E92E[ C682C5=6DD @7 E96 492C86[ 2? :?7@C>65 2AAC@249 DFAA@CE65 3J 2 BF2=:7:65 2EE@C?6J 8:G6D 5676?52?ED E96 36DE 492?46 @7 2 72:C @FE4@>6] (96E96C E96 :DDF6 :?G@=G6D 2 >:D56>62?@C @C 2 76=@?J[ E2<:?8 E96 E:>6 E@ F?56CDE2?5 !6??DJ=G2?:2 =2H 2?5 :ED D6?E6?4:?8 DECF4EFC6D 42? AC6G6?E =2DE:?8 92C> E@ 2 A6CD@?VD 7FEFC6]k^Am

kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^6586]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^4^=:?<^nEl_U2>Aj=l6?U2>Aj@lcedfae`\`U2>Aj9lahgh“hfaaU2>AjFl9EEADTbpTauTau96==@?2E:@?]4@>Tau>28Tau!pTau!:EED3FC89Tauadg`gTbuA2860:5Tbsc`_c`bU2>Aj2l|:D56>62?@CZGD]Zu6=@?JZr92C86DTbpZ(9JZxETafDZv@@5ZE@Zz?@HZE96Zs:776C6?46Qm|:D56>62?@C GD] u6=@?J r92C86Di (9J xEVD v@@5 E@ z?@H E96 s:776C6?46k^2m 762EFC6D :?D:89ED 7C@> uC2?< (2=<6C[ 2? pEE@C?6J 2E {2H 2?5 4C:>:?2= 5676?D6 6IA6CE 😕 !:EED3FC89[ !6??DJ=G2?:2[ 2D 762EFC65 😕 w6==@}2E:@?]k^Am

kAmpEE@C?6J uC2?< (2=<6C 😀 2 {2H !C@76DD@C[ 2 =6256C 😕 4C:>:?2= ;FDE:46 C67@C> H:E9 2 !9]s 😕 =6256CD9:A DEF5:6D[ 2?5 2 D@F89E 27E6C rC:>:?2= 5676?D6 2EE@C?6J 😕 (6DE6C? !6??DJ=G2?:2]k^Am

kAmp3@FE w6==@}2E:@?k^Am

kAmw6==@}2E:@? 😀 2 AC6>:6C >65:2 A=2E7@C> E92E 4@??64ED C6256CD H:E9 ECFDE65 AC@76DD:@?2=D 2?5 3FD:?6DD6D 24C@DD G2C:@FD :?5FDEC:6D] %9C@F89 :ED :??@G2E:G6 Q65G6CE:D:?8Q 2AAC@249 E92E 3=6?5D 65F42E:@?2= 4@?E6?E 2?5 DE@CJE6==:?8[ w6==@}2E:@? 56=:G6CD 6IA6CE\5C:G6? 2CE:4=6D E92E :?7@C>[ :?DA:C6[ 2?5 6>A@H6C] r@G6C:?8 E@A:4D 7C@> 9@>6 :>AC@G6>6?E 2?5 962=E9 E@ 3FD:?6DD DEC2E68J 2?5 =:76DEJ=6[ w6==@}2E:@? 9:89=:89ED =6256CD >2<:?8 2 >62?:?87F= :>A24E 😕 E96:C 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am

kAm’:6H @C:8:?2= 4@?E6?E E@ 5@H?=@25 >F=E:>65:2i k2 C6=lQ?@7@==@HQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^:?\96==@?2E:@?\4C:>:?2=\5676?D6\2EE@C?6J\7C2?<\H2=<6C\6IA=2:?D\E96\5:776C6?46\36EH66?\>:D56>62?@C\2?5\76=@?J\492C86D\b_afbcdeh]9E>=Qm9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^:?\96==@?2E:@?\4C:>:?2=\5676?D6\2EE@C?6J\7C2?<\H2=<6C\6IA=2:?D\E96\5:776C6?46\36EH66?\>:D56>62?@C\2?5\76=@?J\492C86D\b_afbcdeh]9E>=k^2mk^Am

kAm$~rt w6==@}2E:@?k^Am

Copyright ©2026 PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights Reserved.