Don’t Go Undefended if Your Freedom is Threatened
If you have been accused of a probation violation, you could be forced to serve out your full suspended sentence in jail or prison. You need someone on your side whose only job is to protect your rights and work toward getting you the best result possible.
John Sutton represents clients when they have been accused of a probation violation. Attorney John Eric Sutton can work with you, your probation officer, the prosecution and the court to help find the best possible solutions, and work toward preventing escalated penalties.
Your Terms of Probation
When a person is being sentenced by a judge, the judge is often asked to consider whether a probationary or community control period would be sufficient to punish the individual and protect society.
When you were placed on probation or community control, you were advised of the conditions of that supervision. The prosecuting attorney is now alleging that you have violated those conditions by intentionally and materially breaking the rules. Consequently, you run the risk of having that probation or community control violated.
Your Violation Hearing
A judge signed a warrant for your arrest. Now that you’ve been arrested, you have the right to a violation hearing to determine whether you have intentionally and materially violated the rules of your probation or community control.
You will be brought before a judge and provided a copy of the charges against you. You will be asked if you admit or deny the violation. If you deny the violation, your matter will be set for a hearing before a judge. You have the right to an attorney to represent you at the violation hearing. Since you do not have a right to a trial by jury at the violation hearing, you will want an experienced attorney to guide you through the hearing process.
If you admit the violation, that is the same as pleading guilt to the violation and the judge will impose a sentence. Because people who violate their probation or community control are almost always looking at a certain period of incarceration, it is very important that you have the advantage of having consulted with a competent attorney regarding the options available to you.