941-366-3506
Ft Myers
239-334-8890
Punta Gorda
941-639-6009
Did you know that one of the number one reason for getting arrested in Sarasota in March of 2016 was a probation violation?
Many people, to avoid the time and expense of fighting a case take a plea deal that involves months or years of probation. If they have never spent any significant time behind bars, and don’t know how horrible it is, they may take the probation for granted and either fail to perform required counseling, fail to sign up for DUI school or fail to pay their restitution or court costs or costs of supervision. It is easy to screw up when you are on probation, particularly if you are young and have never been in the system, or if you are addicted or have an alcohol issue.
Make no mistake, if you don’t do what you are supposed to do on time, chances are your probation officer will submit a probation violation affidavit to the judge and before you know it, the cops are at your door taking you in on a no bond hold.
If you used Sarasota Public Defender or the Manatee Public Defender, you may sit for days or weeks before anyone even visits you to get your side of the story. If you have not complied or if you have failed a drug test or given a “dirty urine”, do not wait until the judge signs an order to pick you up.
As a Sarasota criminal defense lawyer, many times we may be able to intervene, get you into compliance and hopefully, keep the warrant from being issued. Once you are picked up, you are entitled to a hearing, supposedly within ten days. Many times we can get an expedited hearing and get you reinstated to probation. If it is a “technical violation”, like moving without notifying your probation officer or traveling out of the County without permission we may be able to convince the prosecutor and the judge to give you another chance. I promise you, you do not want to go to a hearing unprepared or unrepresented. If you are on sex offender probation, and they arrest you for a violation, most of the time, the prosecutor and the probation officer are seeking a State prison sentence. The violation is supposed to be both “willful and substantial” and you should not get sent to prison for some minor technical slip up. Having your own private lawyer can make a huge difference in how long you spend waiting for your hearing and whether or not you get really good representation before the Court. The Public Defender is generally overworked and under paid. They have hundreds of cases on their plate. If you think a probation violation is in the works, or if you have a loved one like a husband, wife, son or daughter that has been picked up on a VOP call today for a free confidential consultation. Hiring a lawyer for a violation is not as expensive as hiring a criminal defense attorney initially. It may only require one hearing and not necessarily a trial. It is important to act quickly before the person loses their job or gets thrown out of school.
Call 941 366 3506 and we may be able to help.
Click the Links Below or call the Number Shown for an Office Near You:
LEE: Ft Myers Lehigh Cape Coral Pine Island Sanibel Naples 239-334-8890
CHARLOTTE AND DESOTO: Punta Gorda Port Charlotte North Port Placida Boca Grand Arcadia 941-639-6009
ALL REQUESTS FOR CONTACT ARE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND GO DIRECTLY TO AN EXPERIENCED PROBATION VIOLATIONS CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
YOUR REQUEST WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE CLOSEST OFFICE TO YOU
LEE AND COLLIER COUNTY SEAN C O’HALLORAN
CHARLOTTE AND DESOTO COUNTY ANDREW J BANYAI
SARASOTA PINELLAS HILLSBOROUGH AND MANATEE COUNTY PETER D AIKEN