Define felony and misdemeanor and give an example of each.

• A. Felony is a minor offense punishable by less than a year in jail.
• B. Misdemeanor is punishable by death.
• C. Felony and misdemeanor are the same.
• D. Felony is a serious crime typically punishable by more than one year in prison (e.g., murder); Misdemeanor is a lesser crime punishable by up to one year in jail (e.g., petty theft).

Answer: (D)

The difference between felony and misdemeanor is about how serious the crime is and how long the punishment can be. A felony is a serious crime typically punishable by more than one year in prison. An example is murder, which can lead to lengthy prison terms. A misdemeanor is a lesser crime with a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail, such as petty theft.

This explains why the described statement is correct: it captures the longer potential sentence for felonies and the shorter one for misdemeanors, with examples that illustrate each type. The other options misunderstand the terms or assign punishments that don’t fit how these classifications work.