You may already be grateful that the New Jersey criminal judge who handled your case granted you a probation order in place of jail or prison time. And so, you may not want to press your luck, so to speak, and apply for a premature release from your probation obligations. However, the state does have an early termination of probation program in effect. With that being said, please continue reading to learn whether you can terminate your probation early and how an experienced Morristown criminal defense lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC, can help make this possible.
How long is my probation order supposed to last?
By law, the New Jersey criminal judge cannot order you to a probation order that would last longer than the statutory maximum jail or prison sentence for your criminal offense. Or, no longer than five years, whichever timeframe is shorter. At a minimum, your probation must be at least one year long.
It is worth mentioning, though, that the judge may file a motion to modify or add further requirements imposed on you at any point during your probation sentence. They may do so, for example, in response to your violating a certain probation condition. In doing so, they may order to extend your probation sentence, up to its permissible limit.
Can I terminate my probation early in New Jersey?
It is the New Jersey criminal judge’s job to eliminate any probation condition that imposes an unreasonable burden on you. Well, this may go as far as terminating your probation order earlier than their original sentence and altogether.
That said, you may apply for an early termination of your probation order once you serve at least half of your original sentence. So, if you were sentenced to the statutory maximum of five years, you may take this action at two years and six months. In the meantime, though, you must have closely complied with your probation’s conditions. For example, you must not have missed any scheduled meeting with your probation officer, not have failed any random drug or alcohol test, and more.
On a similar note, you also cannot request an early termination until you meet all the other judicially imposed criminal consequences. That is, you must have paid all your court-ordered fines, completed all your mandatory community service hours, and more. At this time, you must also get your appointed probation officer to advocate on your behalf, indicating your eligibility to receive this privilege from the judge. This is not to mention the need to have a legal representative defend you throughout your hearing proceedings.
If you find yourself up against this, please do not go through it alone. Instead, pick up the phone and speak with a skilled Morristown criminal defense lawyer. Our team at Graves Andrews, LLC, wishes to aid you during this difficult point in time.