What is the new rule for Class 3 misdemeanor punishments?

The new rule appears in G.S. 15A-1340.23(d). Effective for offenses committed on or after December 1, 2013, the statute provides: “Unless otherwise provided for a specific offense, the judgment for a person convicted of a Class 3 misdemeanor who has no more than three prior convictions shall consist only of a fine.”

This change means that all defendants in prior conviction level I (no prior convictions) and some defendants in prior conviction level II (one to four prior convictions) are subject to a fine only for a Class 3 misdemeanor unless another statute provides otherwise for the offense.