Early Termination of Probation

Probation may be imposed by a judge as an alternative to jail time. However, probation still imposes strict requirements on offenders, often including such mandatory terms as regular reporting with a probation officer, counseling, seeking employment, and not moving without the probation officer’s permission.
It is possible to apply to have your probation terminated early; that is, to end probation before the full probationary period is served. It may be in your best interests to hire an attorney to make sure you meet all the conditions required and to help guide you through the process.
PREREQUISITE CONDITIONS
Before you can petition for early termination, you must make sure you meet all terms of your probation and pay all costs associated with it. That means completing any required counseling programs, all community service requirements, and the like, as well as paying any fines, court costs, and restitution imposed by the court.
Additionally, it is common practice for a judge to require that you serve at least half of your probationary sentence before the judge will consider early termination.
PETITIONING FOR EARLY TERMINATION
Once you meet all of these conditions, the next step is filing a Motion for Early Termination of Probation. Your lawyer will state that you met all the terms of your probation and paid all costs, and list any additional reasons the court may want to consider to grant an early termination. Once this is filed, the prosecutor for your case and the probation officer are each sent a copy of the motion and have an opportunity to object. It is best to maintain a good relationship with your probation officer, so he or she will have no reason to object to the petition.
Court Hearing
Unless the court decides to grant early termination based on the motion alone, the next step is a hearing for the judge to determine whether or not to grant early termination. Judges are required to at least consider a petition for early termination of probation, but they have wide discretion when it comes to granting or denying one. Therefore, it is important to have a qualified attorney to present your case in a manner that will best resonate with the judge and provide the greatest chance of having your petition granted.
Contact Joel Leppard
Contact Orlando criminal defense attorney Joel Leppard if you are considering applying for early termination of your probation and want a skilled attorney on your side. Your initial consultation is always free and Leppard Law is available to take your call at any hour of the day.