by Matt WilliamsCan I Get Off of Probation Early in Florida?
Yes, you may be able to get off of probation early in Florida. You do not have a right to terminate probation early so there is no guarantee that you can get off early, and you can’t force the prosecutor or the judge to take you off of probation early, but there are a few ways that you can get off probation early in Florida.
Florida law says you have to be on probation for at least half of your term of probation before you are eligible for early termination. That means, generally, you have to be on probation for at least half of your term before you are eligible for early termination (i.e., if you were sentenced to 24 months of probation you can apply for early termination after 12 months). That being said, if a prosecutor agrees to let you off of probation earlier and the court allows it, you can get off probation before completing half of your probation term. If the State Attorney agrees to let you off then your lawyer will file a “Stipulated Motion to Terminate Probation” and the judge will sign an order terminating your probation with a day or so. Getting the State Attorney to agree to let you off early is always the easiest and quickest way to get off probation (that is why it’s important to hire an experienced lawyer who has a good working relationship with the State Attorney).
If you’ve completed more than half of your probation term and the State Attorney is objecting to you getting off of probation early then you can still file a motion asking the court to let you off of probation. It’s important that you complete all of your special conditions (community service, anger management, etc.) before you apply for early termination because the court will not terminate your probation unless all of your special conditions have been completed. Depending on what jurisdiction you are in, the court may require you to pay all court costs, costs of supervision and any other outstanding balances before terminating your probation. Either way, after you file a motion to termination probation then the judge will have a hearing and listen to “argument” from your lawyer and the State Attorney. After hearing from both sides, the judge will rule on whether or not your probation will be terminated. Again, it’s important that you speak to an experienced lawyer who has a good relationship with the court and who can help you determine whether you have outstanding conditions or balances that need to be satisfied prior to your probation being terminated.
Your probation officer can also submit paperwork to get you off probation early after you complete all of your conditions, but this is not something you should rely on. While probation officers submit early termination paperwork occasionally, there is a good chance that your probation officer is too busy to submit your paperwork in a timely manner. Getting you off of probation is not your probation officer’s main priority and they will probably take months to submit your paperwork, so keep that in mind when decision how you are going to get off probation.
If you were sentenced to probation and you want to get off early give The Law Office of Matthew C. Williams a call. It can be difficult to understand whether you qualify to terminate early, but an experienced attorney can help you understand whether or not you are eligible and what steps you should take going forward. An experienced attorney can also tell you how to move forward with getting off of probation when you owe outstanding fees and your probation officer is saying you have to pay the entire balance before you can get off probation.
There are many benefits to hiring an attorney and getting off of probation, and it’s important for you to choose the right attorney. Matthew Williams and the Law Office of Matthew Williams focus primarily on criminal defense matters in North Florida, and he’s been helping people with motions to terminate probation his entire career. Attorney Williams treats his clients like family because he knows what they are dealing with is always more than just a case, and he refuses to let probation officers or the criminal justice system stand in the way of working towards a better future for his clients. He obtains the best results for his clients and he’ll do the same for you. Give the Law Office of Matthew Williams a call now.