{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-8.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-8.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-8.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-8.html"}],"law_id":82319,"edition_id":1,"section_id":82319,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-8","catch_line":"Felonies, misdemeanors and traffic infractions defined","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-6; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 585; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345.","full_text":"Offenses are either felonies or misdemeanors. Such offenses as are punishable with confinement in a state correctional facility are felonies; all other offenses are misdemeanors. Traffic infractions are violations of public order as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100 and not deemed to be criminal in nature.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":294988,"text":"Offenses are either felonies or misdemeanors. Such offenses as are punishable with confinement in a state correctional facility are felonies; all other offenses are misdemeanors. Traffic infractions are violations of public order as defined in \u00a7 46.2-100 and not deemed to be criminal in nature.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13634,"edition_id":1,"name":"Classification of Criminal Offenses and Punishment Therefor","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13633,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:26","permalink":{"id":164175,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13634,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/1\/3","url":"\/18.2\/1\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13633,"edition_id":1,"name":"In General","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:26","permalink":{"id":164141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13633,"identifier":"1","token":"18.2\/1","url":"\/18.2\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":83800,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-10","catch_line":"Punishment for conviction of felony; penalty","url":"\/18.2-10\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-10","metadata":false},{"id":87024,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-11","catch_line":"Punishment for conviction of misdemeanor","url":"\/18.2-11\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-11","metadata":false},{"id":86850,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-12","catch_line":"Same; where no punishment or maximum punishment prescribed","url":"\/18.2-12\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-12","metadata":false},{"id":54604,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-12.1","catch_line":"Mandatory minimum punishment; definition","url":"\/18.2-12.1\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-12.1","metadata":false},{"id":63071,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-13","catch_line":"Same; by reference","url":"\/18.2-13\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-13","metadata":false},{"id":78919,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-14","catch_line":"How unclassified offenses punished","url":"\/18.2-14\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-14","metadata":false},{"id":72949,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-15","catch_line":"Place of punishment","url":"\/18.2-15\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-15","metadata":false},{"id":56798,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-16","catch_line":"How common-law offenses punished","url":"\/18.2-16\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-16","metadata":false},{"id":67248,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-17","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-17\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-17","metadata":false},{"id":82319,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-8","catch_line":"Felonies, misdemeanors and traffic infractions defined","url":"\/18.2-8\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-8","metadata":false},{"id":71995,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-9","catch_line":"Classification of criminal offenses","url":"\/18.2-9\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":67248,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-17","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-17\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-17","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71995,"structure_id":13634,"section_number":"18.2-9","catch_line":"Classification of criminal offenses","url":"\/18.2-9\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-9","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-8\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1977, chapter 585.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58134,"section_number":"30-7","catch_line":"Members, clerks, assistants, etc., subject to arrest for criminal offenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-7\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":82691,"section_number":"46.2-100","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-100\/"}],"permalink":{"id":164213,"object_type":"law","relational_id":82319,"identifier":"18.2-8","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-8","url":"\/18.2-8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-8\/","token":"18.2\/1\/3\/18.2-8","dublin_core":{"Title":"Felonies, misdemeanors and traffic infractions defined","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-8","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p><span class=\"dictionary\">Offenses<\/span> are either felonies or <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanors<\/span>. Such <span class=\"dictionary\">offenses<\/span> as are punishable with confinement in a state correctional facility are felonies; all other <span class=\"dictionary\">offenses<\/span> are <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanors<\/span>. Traffic infractions are violations of public <span class=\"dictionary\">order<\/span> as defined in \u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Definitions\" href=\"\/46.2-100\/\">46.2-100<\/a> and not deemed to be criminal in nature.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFELONIES, MISDEMEANORS AND TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS DEFINED (\u00a7 18.2-8)\n\nOffenses are either felonies or misdemeanors. Such offenses as are punishable\nwith confinement in a state correctional facility are felonies; all other\noffenses are misdemeanors. Traffic infractions are violations of public order as\ndefined in \u00a7 46.2-100 and not deemed to be criminal in nature.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-6; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 585;\n2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 344, 345.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}