Los Angeles Probation Violation Lawyer

In California and Los Angeles County, criminal defendants who receive Probation as part of their sentence are allowed to remain as members of their community after they complete their jail time (or, in some cases, there may be no jail time). In cases where defendants are placed on Summary Probation (informal probation), there is no need to report to a Probation Officer. Under Summary Probation, all a defendant has to do is complete the specific terms of the sentencing and stay out of trouble (no new criminal cases). If a defendant is placed on Formal Probation, then he is ordered to meet with his or her assigned probation officer and do as requested. Under Formal Probation, a defendant will report once a month to his or her Probation Officer. During probation (informal or formal), the defendant may be expected to do certain things, such as:

Attend counseling,
Perform community service,
Complete physical labor,
Undergo drug testing

As a general rule, the probationary time period is three years.

Violating probation can add years onto your sentence if you are convicted of a crime, and even haunt you should you be charged with a potential "Three Strikes" felony in Los Angeles. Probation is no joking matter and should be taken seriously. The penalties for a probation violation depend on the severity of the violation. In some cases, a second chance may be given and the probation violation will not affect the terms or conditions of the probation.

If you have violated any terms of probation, even relatively minor terms, you face potential incarceration, additional community work, counseling, restitution, or other court orders. The last thing you want to do is to go into court unprepared, without a plan. An effective probation violation attorney can provide appropriate solutions.

Stephen G. Rodriguez is an experienced Los Angeles Probation Violation Attorney. If you have been charged with Probation Violation in Los Angeles, and need a criminal defense attorney, call Stephen G. Rodriguez at (213) 223-2173.