Felony

Capital Felonies: In Texas, the felonies that come under capital felony are sentenced to life imprisonment without parole or a death sentence. Capital felonies are treated as a very serious crime for which he or she will be severely punished. A felon adjudged guilty of a capital felony in a case in which the state seeks the death penalty, the punishment shall be imprisonment in the institutional division for life without parole or death according to the Texas penal code. A felon adjudged guilty of a capital felony in a case in which the state does not seek the death penalty the punishment shall be imprisonment in the institutional division for life without parole.

A capital felony trial in which the state seeks the death penalty, prospective jurors shall be informed that a sentence of life imprisonment without parole or death is mandatory on conviction of a capital felony. A capital felony trial in which the state does not seek the death penalty, prospective jurors will be informed that the state is not seeking the death penalty and that a sentence of life imprisonment without parole is mandatory on conviction of the person under capital felony.

First Degree Felonies: For the Texas felonies that come under first degree, the felon will be imprisoned up to 5 to 99 years. Examples of felonies that come under this category are aggravated robbery, escape (with a deadly weapon or causing serious body injury), engaging in organized criminal activity, arson (of habitation or place of assembly or worship), aggravated assault of a public servant, burglary of a habitation (with intent to commit felony).

Second Degree Felonies: For the Texas felonies that come under second degree felonies, felon will be put behind bars up to 2 to 20 years. Examples of felonies that come under this category are manslaughter (homicide done recklessly), intoxication manslaughter, escape (causing bodily injury), arson, bribery, and aggravated assault, burglary of a habitation (with intent to commit theft or assault), engaging in organized criminal activity, murder (with sudden passion) and robbery.

Third degree felonies: For the Texas felonies that come under third degree felonies, felon will be imprisoned up to2 to 10 years. The crimes which come under third degree felony are assaults (of a public servant or family member if it is a second offense), aggravated perjury, bail jumping (if felony arrest), engaging in criminal activity (if activity is a state jail felony), escape from felony offense, harassment (by prisoner), intoxication assault, obstruction/ retaliation, possession of fire arm by a felony, possession of a weapon in a prohibited place, tampering with evidence, unlawful carrying weapon (on licensed premise), violation of a protection order – 3rd offense. State jail felonies: For the Texas felonies that come under state jail felonies, felons will be punished up to 2 years. The crimes which come under state degree felonies are unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, tampering with a witness, false alarm or report, evading arrest (with a vehicle), DWI (with a child passenger), credit/debit card abuse, criminally negligent homicide, prostitution (4th offense), forgery (commercial instrument), burglary of a building, criminally negligent homicide, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information. These are the crimes which come under different categories of felonies. Based on the seriousness and circumstances the felons will be punished by the judge in the court.

In Texas, a full pardon restores certain citizenship rights which were forfeited by law as the result of a criminal conviction, such as right to serve on a jury, the right to hold public office, the right to serve as an executor or administrator of an estate. In Texas voting rights are automatically restored when one is discharged from felony sentence. A full pardon will remove barriers to some but not all type of employment and professional licensing. But a pardon will not restore eligibility to become a licensed peace officer in Texas.