Deferred Adjudication As An Option To Avoid Jail Time
In the state of Texas, deferred adjudication is a way for first-time offenders to avoid jail time. Our Austin criminal defense lawyers at Hildreth & Rueda have decades of combined experience. They regularly represent clients in Travis and Williamson counties and across Central Texas who are seeking deferred adjudication, attempting to keep alleged criminal conduct off of their permanent criminal record.
What Is Deferred Adjudication?
In the state of Texas, deferred adjudication is a type of probation and community supervision. Both options allow a defendant the opportunity to avoid jail time. However, with deferred adjudication, you have the opportunity to postpone a criminal conviction and keep it off of your permanent criminal record pending completion of community supervision. It is a way to protect your criminal history and keep it clean.
Who Is Eligible For Deferred Adjudication?
Sometimes, deferred adjudication can be used for first-time DWI offenders including students at the University of Texas at Austin and other colleges. Deferred adjudication is also a common strategy for college students who are first-time offenders and allows them to avoid a criminal record if they can complete all of the terms of their probation and release without further incident. Others may be eligible as well but it is a complicated process that would be best handled by an experienced criminal defense lawyer.
What Is The Difference Between Standard Probation And Deferred Adjudication?
With standard probation and deferred adjudication, defendants avoid having to serve their jail sentence as long as they follow the conditions of their release and not violate any terms of their probation during a set period of time. Deferred adjudication is usually only available to first-time offenders. If a defendant violates the conditions of standard probation, the stayed sentence will be enforced and a warrant will be issued for the defendant’s arrest. With deferred adjudication, the defendant has not yet been sentenced to jail time. If a defendant violates the conditions of deferred adjudication, they will appear before the judge for sentencing.
Contact Us Today For A Free Consultation
Our criminal defense attorneys at Hildreth & Rueda offer a free consultation appointment. If you, or someone you love, is in trouble with the law for the first time, contact us today to see if they are eligible to pursue a deferred adjudication. You can reach us by calling 512-415-7648 or sending us an email through our website.