Violation of Probation in St. Pete and Pinellas Park
A probation violation is simply when a person fails to meet the terms required by their probation. These typically occur due to:
- Failure to appear
- Failure to pay fines
- Failure to perform community service
- Violation of restraining order
- Drug or alcohol use
- Committing a new crime
By violating your probation terms, the chance of going to jail increases. This is especially common where a new crime was allegedly committed or the probation was for a felony. Following a finding that probation was violated, a judge may impose the maximum penalties which originally applied to the crime, resulting in a jail or prison stay and fines, among many other potential punishments. For juvenile offenders the same risk applies, upon making an affirmative finding, the court may revoke the probation and implement a new sentence.
Many people feel they did not actually violate probation and the accusation is unjustified. You may have misunderstood the requirements or had difficulty reaching your probation officer. You may also have made a mistake or had a lapse of judgment which led to the violation. Whichever is the case, your best path forward is to hire a Violation of Probation Attorney. The criminal defense attorneys of Oldham & Delcamp have experience with defending clients against these allegations and making alternate requests of the court to minimize your penalties or dismiss the charges entirely. If you are facing a violation of probation charge, contact us for a consultation to review your options.