in the first degree

idiom

: of the most serious type : deserving the harshest punishment

She was accused of murder in the first degree.

Examples of in the first degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Falsifying records in the first degree is subject to up to four years in prison, and a five-thousand-dollar fine. —Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2024

The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office has issued a warrant for the arrest of Cedric Dewayne Robertson, 37, charged with kidnapping in the first degree, per police. —Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024

Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. —Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 9 Apr. 2024

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree last year. —Brooke Singman, Fox News, 2 Apr. 2024

Trump appeared in a Manhattan courtroom in April 2023 to plead not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree following the investigation. —Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024

If convicted of the charges — all misdemeanors — Crowe faces up to three months in prison for both the stalking count and the harassment in the first degree count. —Bill Donahue, Billboard, 24 Jan. 2024

Ridgway pleaded guilty to 48 counts of aggravated murder in the first degree, according to King's County, and remains imprisoned for life without a chance of release at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. —CBS News, 23 Jan. 2024

Acree, 69, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, assault in the first degree for wounding a police officer and three additional counts of armed criminal action. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2024