{"id":376886,"date":"2020-04-09T08:56:46","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T13:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/virginia-law\/class-u-felony-in-virginia-what-you-need-to-know.html"},"modified":"2020-04-09T09:50:05","modified_gmt":"2020-04-09T14:50:05","slug":"class-u-felony-in-virginia-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/virginia-law\/class-u-felony-in-virginia-what-you-need-to-know.html","title":{"rendered":"Class U Felony in Virginia: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Class U Felony in Virginia: What You Need to Know<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Bridget Molitor, JD<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Facing criminal charges is confusing in any situation. But when a criminal charge comes back with a \u201cClass U" on it, you can feel extra lost about what it means and what kind of penalties you may face.<\/p>\r\n

What Is a Class U Felony?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

\u201cClass U" felonies are unclassified. Any crime that doesn’t make sense in the typical felony classes<\/a> will be referred to as a \u201cClass U."<\/p>\r\n

Virginia does not use the typical letter system and instead labels felonies as a Class 1-6 felony. But they still use the letter \u201cu" when it comes to Class U felonies.<\/p>\r\n

Find the Punishment for Your Specific Class U Felony<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

In Class 1-6 felony cases, a judge can decide how harshly to punish someone. There are guidelines and ranges for penalties, or the judge can choose to use whatever punishment they think is appropriate.<\/p>\r\n

However, a Class U felony has the punishment listed in its statute. This means you can look the penalties up and have an idea of what you’ll be facing in court.<\/p>\r\n

To look up a statute, go to your state’s legal code (click here for Virginia<\/a>) and follow these steps:<\/p>\r\n

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  1. Find the section that references criminal, crimes or charge. For example, Virginia’s section is called Title 18.2. Crimes and Offenses Generally<\/a><\/li>\r\n
  2. Look at the chapters to see which one is closest to your charges. For example, choosing Chapter 4. Crimes Against the Person<\/a><\/li>\r\n
  3. Select the article that lists your charge. For example: Article 5. Robbery<\/li>\r\n
  4. Find the section that references punishment or penalty. For example: VA Code, Section 18.2-58. How punished<\/a><\/li>\r\n
  5. This will show you how the crime is defined, if they charge it as a felony, and the punishment. For example: Penalty is state prison for five years<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Typically, the penalty for a Class U felony is 0 to 20 years in prison.<\/p>\r\n

    NOTE: There are many nuances to each case, so you should never make assumptions or decisions based on what you read. Looking up the statute is just the first step in getting informed.<\/p>\r\n

    What Are the Felony Classes in Virginia?<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

    Class U felonies are serious crimes, but they don’t fall under a typical felony category. In general, the six common felony classes<\/a> are:<\/p>\r\n