What Should You Do If You Are Being Charged with a Felony?

A felony accusation can turn an ordinary Maine morning into paperwork, a bail order, a court date, and unanswered questions. If you have been arrested in Portland, Bangor, Augusta, or elsewhere and told you are charged with a felony, your first job is not to explain your side to everyone who asks. It is to protect your rights, comply with release conditions, preserve evidence, and get legal advice before the case gains momentum.

David J. Bobrow, Office of Law, helps people facing serious Maine charges understand what the State must prove, what evidence can be challenged, and which decisions need attention now rather than later.

What Does a “Felony” Mean in Maine?

Maine no longer uses felony and misdemeanor classifications. Instead, the state classifies most crimes as Classes A through E, while murder is treated separately. In everyday use, a felony charge generally means a Class A, B, or C accusation because each carries a possible sentence of more than one year.

*Crime Class*	*General Maximum Imprisonment*	*General Maximum Fine*
Class A	30 years	$50,000
Class B	10 years	$20,000
Class C	5 years	$5,000

These are general maximums, not automatic sentences. A particular offense may have different sentencing provisions. Murder falls outside the class system and carries life imprisonment or a definite term of at least 25 years.

What Should You Do in the First Hours After a Felony Accusation?

Protect your rights first and resist the urge to fix the situation yourself. The hours after an arrest or summons can produce statements, evidence, and release issues that affect the case.

Stop discussing the facts with the police. You can comply with lawful instructions without answering questions about what happened. Do not lie, argue, or try to talk your way out of the accusation; instead, tell officers you want to remain silent and speak with a lawyer.
Follow every bail condition exactly. If your bail order prohibits contact, do not call, message, visit, or ask someone else to make contact for you. Violating a release condition can create a separate charge and affect your release status.
Preserve what may matter. Keep texts, photos, emails, location data, receipts, court papers, bail documents, and other material connected to the accusation. Do not delete or alter information because it looks bad.
Stay off social media about the case. A post meant to reassure friends can become a statement about timing, location, witnesses, or your version of events.
Get legal advice before making decisions. Do not agree to interviews or searches just because an officer says cooperation will help. If police have a warrant, do not interfere.

A lawyer can later examine whether the search and seizure were lawful. Maine procedure permits motions to suppress (requests to keep certain evidence out of court) involving several types of unlawfully obtained evidence. The goal is to keep a serious accusation from becoming harder to defend because of something that happened after the arrest.

What Happens After a Class A, B, or C Charge in Maine?

One of the first questions people ask is, What happens if you get charged with a felony? A serious case may begin before a grand jury has acted. If you are arrested and not released soon, Maine law generally requires an initial court appearance without unnecessary delay. The court can address your rights, counsel, and bail at this stage. A Class C or higher charge filed by complaint generally does not require you to enter a plea before indictment unless you waive indictment (give up the right to have the charge considered by a grand jury).

Discovery (the process of obtaining evidence from the State) can begin early. If the case proceeds by indictment, arraignment follows, during which the charge is formally read, and a plea may be entered. The case may also involve pretrial motions, a dispositional conference (a proceeding where the parties discuss possible resolution), and ultimately a jury trial if no resolution is reached.

A charge is still an accusation. The State bears the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

What Should Be Tested Before a Felony Case Reaches Trial?

A serious defense often develops through investigation and motion practice (formal requests made to the court), not just in the courtroom. The key questions depend on how the evidence was obtained and whether it proves every required element.

A lawyer may examine the legality of a stop, arrest, search, or seizure; statements made during questioning; witness accounts; identification procedures; phone or digital evidence; laboratory testing; and gaps between the allegation and the offense the State selected. Maine procedure permits suppression motions involving illegally obtained property, statements, test results, and identification evidence.

The wording of the felony charge matters when the State alleges circumstances that increase sentencing exposure. Sentencing allegations also deserve close review. For some Class B, C, D, or E crimes, the use of a dangerous weapon can raise the sentencing class. Certain qualifying prior convictions may also increase sentencing exposure when the State properly alleges and proves them.

What Are the Consequences of a Felony Conviction Beyond the Courtroom?

A felony conviction often has consequences that extend well beyond the immediate penalties imposed by a judge. Depending on the offense, an authorized sentence may include imprisonment, probation (court supervision in the community), a fine, restitution (repayment for certain losses), community service, or another sentencing option.

Criminal history can include arrests, charges, dispositions, and sentencing information. A conviction may affect professional licensing because Maine agencies can consider certain criminal history, though a conviction does not automatically bar every profession. Maine law also restricts firearm possession after convictions punishable by imprisonment for one year or more, subject to specific rules and limited relief options.

That is why the practical question is not simply, How much jail time could I get? A defense strategy should consider the parts of your life that the case could affect.

We Help You Make the Next Decisions in a Maine Felony Case

If you are charged with a felony, David J. Bobrow, Office of Law, can review the charging documents, bail terms, police conduct, and evidence before you make decisions that may affect the case. David brings more than two decades of courtroom experience to serious Maine criminal matters, and our office prepares cases with trial in mind while evaluating practical resolution options.

Schedule a consultation today. We are available 24/7 to help you understand what you are facing and what needs to happen next.

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