Utah Probation Conditions - Utah Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you are convicted of a
criminal offense in Utah, you may be placed on probation by the judge.
Under Utah's criminal laws, probation is considered a
"privilege"
under which a judge can impose a variety of conditions.
Violation
of those conditions can result in the imposition of a jail or prison
term. An experienced
Utah
criminal defense lawyer can help give you the best chance of
avoiding jail or prison time. Contact us today to schedule an initial
consultation.
What probation conditions can a Utah judge impose?
Probation
conditions can include a wide variety of requirements.
Typical
conditions can include payment of fines or fees, payment of
restitution,
performing community service, participation in treatment or
classes, drug testing, completion of a high school diploma or
GED,
full-time employment or school, not associating with known criminals,
not being present where alcohol is being served, not consuming alcohol
or illegal drugs, no contact with victims, and more.
Many
judges will try to tailor the conditions of probation to the
defendant's specific circumstances. For example, if a
defendant
has been convicted of
prescription fraud,
the judge might require that
the defendant provide proof of any prescriptions to a probation officer
before the prescription is filled. A
person convicted of
DUI
might be required to participate in a
MADD victim impact panel.
A
person convicted of
drug possession
might have to write a report on the
effects on the human body of his drug of choice.
One of the
most severe conditions of probation can be the requirement that a
person actually serve time in jail. For a
felony
conviction
a person may be required to serve up to a year in jail. Even
for
misdemeanors,
a judge may suspend only a portion of the total jail
sentence and
require that some jail be served before beginning other
probation conditions.
While
it may not always be easy to comply with all the conditions a judge may
impose as a part of probation, it is to your advantage to complete your
probation requirements as soon as possible. If you have
completed
the terms of your probation, but still have a substantial period of
time left on probation, you may be able to petition the court for an
early
termination of probation.
If
you are on probation and are having difficultly meeting all of the
requirements of your probation, it may be to your advantage to petition
the court for a
probation
review
before an order to show cause is filed. Often, a judge will
be
more likely to work with you or to give you additional time if you are
proactive about bringing the matter to the attention of the court
rather than just ignoring the situation in hopes that it will "go away."
402 Reductions after Successful Probation Completion
If you have successfully completed probation, you may be able to obtain
a reduction in the level of your convictions using what is sometimes
called a "
402 reduction."
This may allow you to have a felony charge reduced to a misdemeanor. A
402 reduction may also sometimes be used to restore eligibility for
expungement.
Finding a Criminal Defense Attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah
If you are facing sentencing for a
Utah criminal conviction, you need an
experienced defense
attorney on
your side to give you the best chance at staying out of jail.
Stephen Howard's record of
results includes achieving
probation
on cases as serious as child abuse homicide,
aggravated
robbery,
kidnapping,
aggravated
burglary,
drug
distribution,
aggravated
assault,
fraud,
forgery,
and many more.
Based in
Salt
Lake City, criminal defense attorney Stephen Howard provides
legal services to clients throughout Utah.
Contact us now to schedule
a consultation.