Arson is the act of intentionally burning any type of structure, such as a building or home. Arson generally also includes the burning of forest land or brush.
The severity of an arson charge and punishment generally depends on such factors as whether buildings were burned, whether they were occupied and whether insurance fraud was involved. As a general rule, more severe fire damage generally results in more aggressive prosecution with more severe penalties.
Arson charges are taken very seriously and typically involve prison terms and high bail amounts -- or even no bail amounts. Arson can result in multiple counts depending on the number of structures involved and can lead to other more serious charges such as murder and insurance fraud depending on the damage inflicted. The stakes are higher in violent crimes than in almost any other type of criminal charges.
Arson is both a state and federal crime. It is important to know whether you are facing state or federal charges, as this will require a different defense team and strategy.
Federal criminal charges typically put you up against a larger and more experienced prosecution team and carry severe mandatory prison sentences.
