Crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT) are offenses that bear heavy weight and are treated severely. Most CIMTs cause physical and emotional harm to the victims. Various misdemeanors and felonies fall under this category, but will not be labelled as CIMT during charging.
CIMTs have serious consequences for both US citizens and non-citizens. It is crucial to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney to avoid convictions or to negotiate a favorable plea deal.
What Actions Are Considered Crimes of Moral Turpitude?
The lack of a statutory definition of CIMTs enables states to decide which actions to classify under this category. Previous court rulings have interpreted CIMTs as actions done with evil intentions that violate rules and regulations. The common moral turpitude meaning or definition is any evil deed that gives you the chills when you think about it.
Common crimes that can be categorized under CITMs include manslaughter, embezzling from the elderly in the community, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, rape, peddling hard drugs, and sexual assault, among others.
What to Expect After Being Charged with CIMTs
CIMT-convicted criminals face harsh prison sentences and heavy fines. For non-US citizens, crimes involving moral turpitude can be devastating. Professionals lose their licenses and certificates, and others soil their public reputations.
Change in Immigration Status
A plea deal or a guilty verdict in a CIMT case can lead to an immigrant being removed from the United States. Immigrants in the US are expected to demonstrate good character. Some offenses can lead to ineligibility to apply for permanent residency.
A CIMT reoffender immigrant who has been convicted twice or more since arriving in the US is subject to removal from the country. For new immigrants, if you’re convicted of CIMT within the first 5 years of arriving in the country, you’re out.
The regulation also applies to individuals seeking to come to the US. If they have a conviction record of actions deemed as CIMT, they’re inadmissible into the country, and they won’t get past Customs.
Loss of Employment and Practice
US citizens and immigrants in the country must hold a federal or state license to operate different businesses and look for employment. A CIMT conviction of a doctor, a lawyer, or a police officer will mean losing the practice because such jobs require a high level of integrity.
Revoked licenses can be hard to obtain again, leading to a negative impact on professional credibility amid financial constraints. It can be difficult for a doctor who’s practiced for 40 years to lose their license. Rebuilding in a new field can be quite challenging.
Loss of Social Credibility
A simple CIMT lawsuit can soil someone’s public reputation even if the allegations in the lawsuit end up being false. A conviction is even worse because it will limit your ability to do moral and ethical deeds. People will always judge you based on the CIMT conviction, even when you mean well.
After a CIMT conviction, some social places will reject you. You will not run for a political seat or testify in court without your conviction being exposed again. Even when seeking employment, your CV will always be rejected because no one wants to be associated with an individual that society has deemed evil.
Conclusion
In summary, crimes involving moral turpitude have serious consequences for both US citizens and non-citizens. Key takeaways from CIMT convictions include:
- Different states define moral CIMTs differently.
- There are plenty of offenses that fall under CIMT, ranging from mass murder, rape, assault, and kidnapping, among others.
- CIMT impacts the immigration status of immigrants.
- Loss of employment and practice license.
- Loss of social credibility.
