# Convicted of a felony > Convicted of a felony means a person has been judged guilty of a serious crime and a legal judgment has been entered. **Term:** Convicted of a felony **Last updated:** 2026-07-29 ## Definition ## What Convicted of a felony Means in a Contract When a contract references being "convicted of a felony," it is describing a specific legal event, namely a court finding a person guilty of a serious crime and entering a formal judgment of conviction. This is distinct from merely being charged, arrested, or investigated. The conviction must be final in the sense that a court has recorded the outcome, even if appeals remain possible in some drafting approaches. Because the phrase originates in jurisdictions that classify crimes as felonies or misdemeanors, contracts governed by the law of jurisdictions without that classification (such as the United Kingdom, which instead distinguishes indictable and summary offenses) often need adapted language. Even so, the underlying purpose is consistent: to identify a threshold of criminal seriousness that justifies contractual consequences. The clause typically operates as a trigger. Once satisfied, it activates rights such as termination, suspension, forfeiture of benefits, or removal from a position of trust. It is rarely a standalone obligation and almost always sits inside a broader provision dealing with conduct, eligibility, or risk management. ## How Convicted of a felony Is Defined or Measured Precision matters because "felony" is not a universal legal term. Drafters measuring this concept usually specify whether the conviction must relate to a particular category of offense, such as crimes involving dishonesty, violence, or moral turpitude, or whether any felony-level conviction suffices. Some contracts also state whether a guilty plea, a no-contest plea, or a deferred sentence counts as a conviction for these purposes. Timing is another measurement factor. Clauses may specify that the conviction must occur during the term of the agreement, or that it applies retroactively if discovered later. Some contracts require the conviction to become final and non-appealable before consequences apply, while others allow action upon initial judgment. - Whether the offense must relate to the subject matter of the contract - Whether pending charges or investigations are treated differently from convictions - Whether expunged or spent convictions are excluded under the law governing the contract ## Where Convicted of a felony Appears in Agreements This language commonly appears in employment agreements, director and officer appointment terms, consultancy agreements, and licensing arrangements where personal integrity or public trust is central. It is frequently paired with representations and warranties sections, where a party confirms they have not been convicted of a felony as a condition of entering the contract. It also appears in termination clauses, where a conviction becomes an event allowing immediate termination without notice or cure period. In regulated sectors, such as