Fighting the Most Serious Charges in Indiana
When the State is asking for years of your life, your defense cannot afford to be anything less than relentless.
A major felony charge is one of the most serious situations a person can face in Indiana. It is the kind of accusation that does not just disrupt your life. It threatens to take it away from you, piece by piece, starting with your freedom and continuing through your job, your home, your family, and your reputation.
If you are reading this, you or someone you love is probably facing one of those charges right now. Maybe the police came to the door. Maybe an arrest happened in front of your family. Maybe charges were filed after months of investigation you did not even know was happening. Whatever brought you here, the weight of it is real.
We understand. We have stood next to people in this exact moment for years, and we know what they are feeling. Disbelief. Fear. A sense that the system has already made up its mind. We also know something else. The system does not always get it right, and the people fighting back rarely do so alone.
At Razumich & Associates, P.C., we have walked clients through the most serious felony cases the State of Indiana files. We know how the prosecution builds these cases. We know where they overreach. We know how to push back, how to challenge evidence, and how to protect the rights that the State would prefer you forget you have.
If you are looking for an Indianapolis major felony defense attorney who will treat your case like it matters, because it does, you are in the right place.
Key Takeaways
- Major felonies in Indiana cover Level 1 through Level 3 offenses, including murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery, kidnapping, arson, and other charges that carry decades in prison.
- A felony conviction can result in lengthy prison time, loss of voting rights, loss of firearm rights, and lasting damage to employment, housing, and licensing.
- Many felony cases involve weak identifications, procedural mistakes, or evidence that does not hold up under careful review.
- Indiana law allows judges wide discretion in sentencing, and a strong defense can move a case from the worst possible outcome to something far more livable.
- The earlier our firm gets involved, the more options we have to fight the charges and protect your future.
What Counts as a Major Felony in Indiana
Indiana classifies felonies on a six level scale, with Level 1 being the most serious and Level 6 being the least. Murder is treated as its own category outside the level system, with even harsher possible penalties. Generally, Levels 1 through 3 are considered major felonies because of the prison time and life consequences they carry.
A Level 1 felony in Indiana can result in twenty to forty years in prison, with some offenses eligible for life without parole or, in murder cases, the death penalty. A Level 2 felony carries ten to thirty years. A Level 3 felony carries three to sixteen years. Levels 4 through 6 are still felonies and still serious, but the term “major felony” typically refers to the highest levels where the prison time stretches into decades.
These cases are handled differently from other criminal matters. The investigation is usually longer. The discovery is heavier. The plea offers are tougher. The prosecutors assigned to them are usually more experienced. None of that makes the case impossible to defend. It makes the defense work harder, more strategic, and more important. Sentencing rules and felony classifications are set out across **Indiana Code Title 35**.
Common Major Felony Charges We Handle
Major felonies cover a wide range of conduct. Some are violent. Some involve weapons or drugs or property at levels that elevate the charge. Our firm represents clients across the full range of serious felony cases in Indianapolis and across Indiana. Here are the categories that come up most often.
Murder and Homicide
Murder is treated as its own category in Indiana, separate from the felony levels. A murder conviction can result in forty five to sixty five years in prison, life without parole, or in certain aggravated cases, the death penalty. Voluntary manslaughter is generally charged as a Level 2 felony. Reckless homicide is generally charged as a Level 5 felony.
These cases turn on forensic evidence, witness credibility, intent, and the circumstances of the alleged offense. Self defense, defense of others, and lack of intent are all real defenses that have to be built carefully and presented with skill.
Armed Robbery
Robbery becomes a Level 3 felony in Indiana when a deadly weapon is involved, and a Level 2 felony when serious bodily injury occurs. These cases turn on identification, the presence or absence of a weapon, and whether the alleged victim’s account holds up under scrutiny. The defense often shares strategy with our Indianapolis theft and burglary defense attorneys since robbery sits at the violent end of the property crime spectrum.
Aggravated Battery
Aggravated battery is a Level 3 felony in Indiana, and it applies when an alleged battery causes serious bodily injury, involves a deadly weapon, or fits other aggravating circumstances. These cases can come out of bar fights, domestic disputes, or other situations that escalated faster than anyone intended. Our Indianapolis battery defense attorneys cover the broader battery framework that aggravated battery cases sit within.
Major Drug Offenses
Some drug cases get charged at the major felony level when the alleged quantities are large, the alleged activity involves manufacturing or trafficking, or weapons are present. Dealing in cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin can be charged anywhere from a Level 2 to a Level 5 felony depending on the weight involved. Our Indianapolis drug crime defense attorneys handle these cases at every level, including the major felony tier.
Kidnapping and Criminal Confinement
Kidnapping is a Level 5 felony in Indiana but can be elevated to a Level 2 or Level 3 felony when certain aggravating factors apply, including the use of a weapon, the involvement of a minor, or specific intent elements. Criminal confinement is a related charge with its own sentencing structure. These cases often involve disputed accounts and require careful work to separate what actually happened from what the State is alleging.
Arson
Arson can be charged anywhere from a Level 6 felony to a Level 2 felony depending on whether anyone was put at risk, whether the structure was a dwelling, and the dollar value of the damage. Arson cases lean heavily on forensic fire investigation, which is an area where defense scrutiny can change the entire case.
Major Theft and Burglary
Some theft and burglary cases reach the major felony tier when the alleged property values are high, when weapons are involved, or when the entry was into a dwelling. Burglary of a dwelling is a Level 4 felony in Indiana, and aggravated burglary can climb to Level 3, Level 2, or Level 1 felony levels depending on the circumstances. Our Indianapolis theft and burglary defense attorneys cover this area in depth.
Penalties for Major Felonies in Indiana
The numbers below come from **Indiana Code Title 35, Article 50** and represent the standard sentencing ranges for major felony levels. Aggravating factors can push sentences higher. Mitigating factors and skilled defense work can bring them lower.
Murder
- Forty five to sixty five years in state prison.
- Life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty in cases with statutory aggravators.
- Fines up to 10,000 dollars.
Level 1 Felony
- Twenty to forty years in state prison.
- Advisory sentence of thirty years.
- Fines up to 10,000 dollars.
Level 2 Felony
- Ten to thirty years in state prison.
- Advisory sentence of seventeen and a half years.
- Fines up to 10,000 dollars.
Level 3 Felony
- Three to sixteen years in state prison.
- Advisory sentence of nine years.
- Fines up to 10,000 dollars.
- Examples include aggravated battery, armed robbery, and certain other violent felonies.
Additional Consequences
A felony conviction also carries consequences that last long after the sentence is served. These can include the loss of voting rights while incarcerated, loss of the right to possess a firearm, restrictions on employment and professional licensing, restrictions on housing, immigration consequences for non citizens, and lasting damage to reputation. Some felony convictions can be expunged after a waiting period under the Indiana Second Chance Law, codified at **Indiana Code § 35-38-9**. Our Indiana criminal record expungement services help clients clear eligible records.
How a Major Felony Conviction Can Affect Your Life
People often focus on the prison time when they think about felony cases, and that focus makes sense given what is at stake. But the truth is that even after a sentence is served, a felony conviction continues to affect a person’s life in ways that are hard to predict and even harder to undo.
Employment is one of the first places it shows up. Many employers run background checks, and a felony conviction can take certain careers off the table entirely. Jobs that require licensing, security clearances, or work with vulnerable populations are some of the hardest hit.
Housing is another. Landlords screen tenants. Some properties simply do not rent to people with felony records. Public housing has its own rules.
Family law issues get harder. Custody disputes, visitation arrangements, and family court matters all become more complicated when a felony is part of the picture.
For non citizens, the immigration consequences can be the worst part of the entire case. Certain felonies carry mandatory deportation consequences regardless of how long someone has lived in the United States.
And then there is the social weight of the conviction itself. The conversations with family. The reactions from coworkers. The way old friends suddenly become more distant. None of that shows up on a sentencing order, but it is real.
The right defense, started early, can save you from carrying any of this for the rest of your life.
Defenses We Use in Major Felony Cases
Every case is different, but major felony cases share common pressure points where strong defense work can change the outcome. Here are some of the strategies that have worked for our clients.
Constitutional Challenges
The Fourth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, and the Sixth Amendment apply to every major felony case. Illegal stops, unlawful searches, coerced statements, denied access to counsel, and Miranda violations can all become the basis for suppressing evidence. When the evidence is suppressed, the case often falls apart with it.
Challenging Identification
Eyewitness identification is one of the most common pieces of evidence in violent felony cases, and it is also one of the most unreliable. Memory is faulty. Show ups are suggestive. Photo lineups can be set up in ways that point witnesses toward a particular person. We challenge identifications carefully because they often do not survive cross examination.
Forensic Evidence Disputes
DNA, fingerprints, fire patterns, ballistics, blood spatter, and other forensic evidence can sound persuasive in a police report. The reality is messier. Lab errors happen. Contamination happens. Expert opinions are sometimes more opinion than expert. A strong defense brings in its own analysis when the State’s forensic evidence is doing heavy lifting.
Witness Credibility
Many major felony cases rely on a small number of witnesses. When those witnesses have credibility issues, prior inconsistent statements, motives to lie, or histories that affect their reliability, the defense has powerful material to work with.
Self Defense, Defense of Others, and Defense of Property
In violent felony cases, what the State calls an attack the defense often shows was a response. Indiana law allows for self defense and defense of others in specific circumstances, and these defenses have to be built on the facts of the case, the relationship between the parties, and the events leading up to the encounter.
Lack of Intent
Many major felonies require specific intent. The State has to prove that you intended the conduct alleged. When intent cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the case weakens or the charges drop to something lower.
Procedural Violations
Police make mistakes. Prosecutors miss deadlines. Investigators cut corners. Every one of those can become an opening for the defense. We look at every step of the case to find them.
What to Do If You Are Arrested for a Major Felony
The first hours and days after a serious felony arrest can shape the entire case. Here is what we tell every client.
First, do not talk to the police. Officers are trained to get statements that help the prosecution. Anything you say will appear in a report by morning, and the report is what the prosecutor uses to build the case. Tell the officer you want a lawyer and stop talking.
Second, do not consent to searches. If you are asked to consent to a search of your home, your car, or your phone, you do not have to agree. Polite refusal preserves your rights. Forced searches can be challenged later in ways that voluntary searches cannot.
Third, do not contact anyone connected to the case. No calls to the alleged victim. No social media posts. No conversations that could be misinterpreted. Even well meaning communication can become evidence.
Fourth, write down everything you remember while it is fresh. Times, locations, witnesses, conversations. These notes are for your attorney only.
Fifth, contact our office as soon as possible. The earlier we get involved, the more options we have to fight the case.
Why Choose Razumich & Associates, P.C. for Your Major Felony Defense
Razumich & Associates, P.C. has been defending Hoosiers against serious criminal charges since 2006. Jack Razumich is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and federal courts, and has represented clients in 48 of Indiana’s 92 counties — credentials that set the firm apart from the vast majority of Indianapolis criminal defense attorneys.
Major felony cases are not the kind of case to hand off to a lawyer who handles them occasionally. The stakes are too high, the work too complex, and the State too prepared. We know the prosecutors, the judges, and how each courtroom moves.
When you sit down with our team, you will get a straight answer about what the State has, what they are missing, and what your realistic options look like. We do not push every client toward a plea. We listen, we prepare, and we go to work.
Our firm also handles other charges that often overlap with major felony cases, including Indianapolis sex crimes defense, Indianapolis DUI defense, Indianapolis battery defense, Indianapolis drug crime defense, Indianapolis theft and burglary defense, Indianapolis juvenile defense, and Indiana probation violation defense. When charges layer or overlap, you do not have to find a different lawyer for each one. We handle the whole picture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Major Felonies in Indiana
Q. What is the difference between a major felony and a regular felony in Indiana?
A. Indiana uses a six level felony system, with Level 1 being the most serious and Level 6 being the least. The term “major felony” generally refers to Levels 1 through 3, where prison time stretches into decades and the long term consequences are most severe. Murder is treated as its own category outside the level system, with even harsher possible penalties.
Q. Can a major felony charge be reduced to something less serious?
A. Yes, in many cases. Charges can be reduced based on the strength of the evidence, procedural issues, problems with witness credibility, or as part of plea negotiations. A reduction from a Level 2 felony to a Level 5 felony, for example, can mean the difference between decades in prison and a far more livable sentence. Every case is different, and we look at yours with fresh eyes.
Q. How long does a major felony case usually take?
A. Major felony cases tend to move slower than misdemeanors or lower level felonies. From arrest through trial, a serious case can take a year or more. Discovery is heavier, motions take longer, and trial preparation requires more time. The slower pace can actually help the defense when used strategically.
Q. Do I have the right to a jury trial in a major felony case?
A. Yes. Felony defendants in Indiana have the constitutional right to a jury trial. Many cases are resolved before trial through dismissals, reductions, or negotiated outcomes, but the right to a jury is yours to exercise if that is the path forward.
Q. Will I have to post bail, and how is the amount set?
A. Bail in felony cases depends on the charge, your prior record, ties to the community, and the court’s view of flight risk. Major felonies often involve higher bail, and some of the most serious offenses, including certain murder charges, may not be eligible for bail at all under Indiana law. A defense attorney can argue for reasonable conditions of release at the initial hearing.
Q. Can a felony conviction be expunged in Indiana?
A. Some felony convictions can be expunged after a waiting period under the Indiana Second Chance Law. The waiting period and eligibility rules depend on the level of the offense, the nature of the charge, and whether all conditions of the sentence have been completed. Certain serious offenses are excluded from expungement entirely. We help clients identify when they are eligible.
Q. What happens if I am charged with a felony while already on probation?
A. New charges while on probation create two cases at the same time. The new charge has its own consequences, and a separate petition to revoke probation can be filed that puts your old suspended sentence back in play. These overlapping cases need to be handled together, which is why having one defense team for both matters is critical.
Q. Can I lose my right to vote or own a gun if convicted of a felony?
A. Yes. In Indiana, voting rights are suspended during incarceration and restored upon release. Firearm rights are different. A felony conviction can result in the loss of the right to possess a firearm, and restoring that right requires a separate legal petition. Both consequences are worth taking seriously when evaluating any plea offer.
Ready to Talk About Your Situation
A major felony charge is not the end of your story. It is a chapter, and how that chapter ends depends on what you do next.
We have walked beside people in Indianapolis who thought they were heading straight to a prison cell, and we have watched them walk out of court with charges reduced, evidence suppressed, cases dismissed, or sentences that gave them a real chance to rebuild. None of those outcomes happened by accident. They happened because the right defense was built early, the right pressure was put on the State, and the right arguments were made to the right judge and jury.
When you reach out to us, you will not get a sales pitch. You will get a real conversation. We will listen to what happened, ask the questions that matter, and tell you honestly what we think. If we believe we can help, we will tell you exactly how. If we think you have a stronger option somewhere else, we will tell you that too. Our job is not to win you as a client. Our job is to fight for you once you are one.
You deserve a defense team that takes your case as seriously as the State is taking it. Your freedom, your record, and your future are worth protecting. You do not have to face the prosecution alone, and you do not have to assume the worst is going to happen just because charges have been filed.
Reach out through the contact form on our website to schedule your free consultation with our Indianapolis major felony defense attorneys today, and let us start working on a plan that puts you in the strongest position possible. The sooner we get to work, the more we can do.
