How many felonies can you have

Q: Can a convicted felon serve in elected office? A: The Constitution allows a convicted felon to be a member of Congress, even if in prison. As for state offices, different laws apply in different places. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted on seven felony counts of corruption in late October. Stevens ran for reelection Nov. It is possible for a felon to serve in the U. Congress — but the House and Senate can vote to expel any member that colleagues deem unfit or unqualified to serve.

And even if Stevens does end up winning the election in Alaska, he faces a probable expulsion vote in the Senate. Update: Begich was declared the winner of the election on Nov. Federal office qualifications are governed by the Constitution, while state-level office rules vary according to state laws. When someone is convicted of a felony, the crime is deemed serious enough and the trial thorough enough that all felonies stay on your record permanently.

This means landlords, employers, banks, and law enforcement can see any felony you've ever been convicted of. How employers use felony background information varies by state. In those 13 states, employers can use background checks, but can't ask about convictions until later in the hiring process. However, while those states have fairer hiring practices, employers are still able to run a background check and see felony convictions. The only way to get rid of a felony record is to have it expunged, which means erasing the record like it never occurred.

Requirements for expunging a record vary by state. Many states don't allow violent felony offenders to expunge their records. There are specific guidelines for first-time offenders and repeat offenders.

As you can see above, the sentencing guidelines are divided up based on the type of felony committed. In addition to that, there are a number of different sentencing options for each felony offense. This is the sentence an offender is mostly likely going to face. Moving along, we can see the maximum sentence column.

This is the highest sentence a first-time offender can face, unless during the commission of the crime he or she committed an act that would increase their offense to an aggravated crime.

Arizona law also lists requirements an offender must meet in order to receive an aggravated sentence, which is the last column on the right.