08 Feb Arizona Probation Violation Laws and Penalties
Arizona Probation Violation Lawyer
Judges in the US Criminal Justice System have a number of options when it comes to punishing crime. Probation is one of those options. Instead of jail time, if a defendant is not seen as a threat to society, a judge might impose a probation sentence. During a probation period, the convicted criminal must follow certain court-ordered rules and conditions, often under the supervision of a probation officer. These rules may include community service, limiting alcohol intake, refraining from the use of controlled substances, and attendance at court-ordered appearances.
The goal of supervised probation is to help convicted criminals make positive changes in their lives so they can contribute in a healthy way to society. For this reason, counseling and assistive programs of other types are made available to the defendant.
What is Considered a Violation of Probation in Arizona?
A violation of probation occurs any time the probation rules and conditions are not followed. Depending on the type of probation, a violation can include:
- Committing a new crime
- Missing a drug test or testing positive for drug use
- Failure to pay court fines, fees, or other forms of restitution
- Drinking alcohol if sobriety was specified as a condition
- Failure to complete court-ordered counseling
- Removal of a security device
- Traveling outside the state or other indicated area
- Failure to appear in court when mandated
- Failure to meet with a probation officer
What Happens if You Violate Probation in Arizona?
If you’ve been accused of Arizona probation violation, you should call an experienced Arizona criminal defense attorney like Todd Coolidge immediately. Because probation is much preferred to spending time in prison, the court can be quite strict on adherence to the specified probation rules and conditions.
Warning
If you experience a first-time violation of your probation and it’s considered relatively minor, you may just receive a warning from your probation officer.
Revoking Probation
However, if there is a repeat violation, or a violation of a more severe nature, the probation officer can petition the court to revoke your probation. If this happens, you will be summoned to appear in court, and a judge will determine if a violation occurred and whether to revoke, modify, or continue your original probation.
Once probation is revoked, you may face jail time and other applicable penalties. You can appeal a decision, but your lawyer would need to show that the revocation lacked sufficient evidence. If you are facing an Arizona probation violation, call Coolidge Law Firm today: (480)-264-5111. We’ll leave no stone unturned in rising to your defense.
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