The statute defining a particular type of misconduct classifies the offense as a misdemeanor. In some states, if a crime carries a maximum penalty of six months or less, it is a petty offense.

Theft is a crime in all 50 states; however, there are different kinds of theft crimes. Petty theft, or petty larceny, is one of those offenses. Petty larceny simply refers to theft involving ...

More serious offenses, such as murder or war crimes, often have no statute of limitations. It's also applied in civil law to matters like consumer debt, where the debt becomes time-barred debt ...