Violating the terms of your probation can have serious consequences, including being sent back to prison. If you closely follow the rules set by the court or your probation officer, you should have no problem finishing your probation without disruption. In this brief article, a probation violation attorney in Tampa outlines some of the ways that people accidentally violate probation. Avoid these mistakes and you won’t be needing the services of The Rickman Law Firm.
If you accidentally miss a hearing in court or an appointment with your probation officer, you may violate your probation. While there are cases where someone intentionally misses an appointment, it is also possible to forget about an appointment or to misunderstand the date of your next appointment. Sometimes, missing an appointment is unavoidable. There could be substantial traffic, your ride to court may not show up, or you may have to deal with an emergency. Regardless, missing an appointment may be considered a violation of your probationary agreement.
Depending on the terms of your probation, there could be people that you are legally required to avoid. This can be difficult if one of these individuals arrives unannounced to where you work or an event you are attending. If you are caught in the same vicinity as this person, you could be in trouble regardless of your good intentions. If someone you are not allowed to see puts your probation in jeopardy, contact probation violation lawyers in Tampa to discuss your legal options.
It is possible to lose your job at no fault of your own. For many people out on probation, maintaining employment is part of the terms of release. It can be difficult for someone with a criminal record to find an employer willing to hire them. And if your company experiences layoffs, you could potentially go through a period of unemployment that would put your probation terms in jeopardy.
If you were ordered to pay restitution or fines but don’t have the money to do so, you could be violating the terms of your probation. This can be compounded after a period of job loss or extra expenses, such as experiencing an injury or hospitalization. This is one reason why many former offenders unintentionally violate probation.
It is possible to violate the terms of your probation without meaning to or without willfully participating in any form of criminal activity. If you violated your probation, you can work with a probation violation attorney in Tampa to see what options may exist to maintain your probationary status. There are strategies that an attorney can utilize to argue that violating probation was outside of your control.
For a free consultation with one of our probation violation lawyers in Tampa, please contact The Rickman Law Firm today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.