What is a Suspended Sentence? - FindLaw

However, many defendants are able to avoid jail time with probation or a suspended sentence. With a suspended sentence, the judge can impose ... ... FindLaw LearnAboutTheLaw CriminalLaw CriminalProcedure WhatisaSuspendedSentence? WhatisaSuspendedSentence? ByFindLawStaff| ReviewedbyEvanFisher,Esq.|LastupdatedDecember29,2021 Whenfacingcriminalcharges,thethoughtofgoingtoprisonmayseemterrifying.However,manydefendantsareabletoavoidjailtimewithprobationorasuspendedsentence.Withasuspendedsentence,thejudgecanimposeajailtermbutsuspendsentencingtoallowthedefendanttoserveprobationinsteadoftimebehindbars.Suspendedsentencingcanalsohelpthestateavoidjailovercrowding. Whenasuspendedsentenceishangingoverthedefendant'shead,itisimportantforthemtofollowthetermsofprobationortheycouldendupbackinjail. WhoisEligibleforaSuspendedSentence? Thecourtmayofferasuspendedsentencetoanyoneconvictedofaminor,non-violentoffensewherethedefendantdoesnotposeariskofdangertothecommunity.Manyfirst-time,low-leveloffenderswillbeeligibleforasuspendedsentenceorother alternativesentencing.Asuspendedsentencealsoallowsthedefendanttostayemployedorattendschoolandmayreducetheriskofrecidivism. Sometimessuspendedsentencesarenotallowedforcategoriesofcrimesoroffenders.Mandatoryminimumsentencessetbycriminalstatutesformoreseriouscrimesorrepeatoffensesoftenincludeaspecificprovisionthatpreventsthesentencefrombeingsuspended.Otherstatutestendtogivejudgesmorediscretion. ProbationandaSuspendedSentence Formostdefendantswithasuspendedsentence,theywillhavetocomplywiththetermsofprobationorriskgettingputinjail.Thelengthofprobationcandependonthejudge,limitsinstatelaw,andtheseverityofthecriminalcharges;atypicaltermofprobationisfromonetofiveyears.Thetermsofprobationmayalsodependonthecriminalchargesinvolved. Conditionsofprobation mayinclude: Reportingtotheprobationofficer Communityservice Substanceabusecounseling Otheroffense-specificprograms,likecertifiedbatterer'sinterventionorsexualoffendercounseling Randomdrugtests Arequirementtoseekandretainemployment Finesandrestitution Livingataparticularaddressorwithinaparticulargeographicarea Curfew Regularpaymentofprobationfees,courtcosts,fines,orrestitution Avoidinganyfurthercriminalcharges Ifthedefendantcompletesthetermofprobationwithoutanyviolations,thesuspendedsentencecanbedischarged.Thedefendantwillstillendupwithacriminalconvictionontheirrecordbutisabletoavoidjailtime.However,ifthedefendant violatesprobation orcommitsanewcrime,thejudgecanimposeadditionalrestrictionsorwithdrawthesuspendedsentenceandputthedefendantinjailtoserveouttheremainderofthe sentence. DelayedorPostponedSentences Theterm“suspendedsentence"canalsobecalledapostponedsentenceordelayedsentence.Delayedsentencingoftenfollowsapleabargain.Apleabargainisanagreementbythedefendanttopleadguiltytoacrimeinexchangeforareducedsentence.Formanyfirst-timeoffenders,theprosecutorwillofferasuspendedsentenceasawaytonegotiateapleaagreement,sothedefendantcanpleadguiltybutavoidjailtime. Deferredsentencing,astayofadjudication,ordeferredadjudicationareallslightlydifferentfromasuspendedsentence.Withdeferredadjudication,thejudgedelaysenteringaconvictionandallowsthedefendanttoserveoutthetermsofprobation(sometimesunsupervised)asanalternativetojailtime.Ifthedefendantabidesbytheconditionswithoutgettingintoanynewtrouble,thejudgecandismissthecriminalchargesandtheindividualavoidsacriminalconvictionontheirrecord. Delayedsentencingcanalsooccurwhenthe twosidesofthecasedonotagreeontheappropriatesentence.Thejudgemay,afteraconviction,giveeachsidetimetoprepareanargumentonsentencing,whichwillbeheardatasubsequenthearing. Sometimessentencesareimposedbutthendelayedforotherreasons.Adefendantwhoishospitalized,forexample,mightnotneedtoreporttojailuntilafterdischarge. UnconditionalDischarge Asentenceofanunconditionaldischargegenerallymeansthedefendantisnotsubjecttoanyimprisonmentortermsorconditionsofprobation.Anunconditionaldischargeistheendofthecriminalsentence,andthedefendantisreleasedwithnofurtherpenaltiesorrestrictions.Thedefendantwillstillhaveacriminalrecord,andwillhavebeenfoundlegallyresponsibleforthecriminalact,butwillnotservejailtimeorprobation.  Thissentencingtoolisnotcommonlyused,andittendstoappearonlyinextraordinarycircumstancesoraspartofawiderpleaagreementthatincludespenaltiesimposedinothercases. PartiallySuspendedorSplitSentences Asplitsentenceorpartiallysuspendedsentencecombinesjailtimeandprobation.Thedefendantmaybesentencedtoatermofyearsbutcanbereleasedonprobationafterservingtheunsuspendedsentence.Forexample,ajudgemayorderthatfouryearsofafive-yearsentencearesuspended,andthenprovideforatermofprobationaftertheexecutionoftheone-yearunsuspendedportion. Ifprobationiscompletedsuccessfully,thesuspendedfouryearsareneverserved.Ifthedefendantviolatesprobation,theycouldbesentrightbacktojailtoservepartoralloftheremainingunsuspendedsentence. DiscussSuspendedSentenceswithanAttorney Suspendedsentencesincriminallawvarydependingonthejurisdictionofthesentencing.Ifyouneedhelpwithunderstandingapleabargainorwanttoknowhowtoavoidjailtime,youshouldgetintouchwithanexperienced criminaldefenseattorney tobetterunderstandyoursituation. Thankyouforsubscribing! 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