Florida Probation Violations: Don’t Make Any of These Three Violations By Mistake
If you are on probation, you must be careful with what you do. Making the wrong mistakes could land you in hot water and cause you to end up back in jail all over again. If the thought of going back to jail is stressful enough, you need to know which mistakes people often make that cause them to violate their probation and end up in more legal trouble. A Florida criminal defense lawyer from Foley & Wilson Law Firm is here to go over some of the violations you need to avoid and let you know when you might need to hire a Florida defense attorney.
Not Paying Your Court Fees
When you are charged with a crime and go to court, you may end up with court fees and fines, including restitution that may be paid out to the victim in the situation. You may owe thousands of dollars by the time you get out of jail. You are probably wondering how you can even afford to pay the fees and fines off when you are just getting out and still looking for a steady job. However, the courts are willing to work with people by putting them on a payment plan. You can end up paying a low amount on a monthly basis until you are caught up.
Not Attending Important Court-Ordered Programs
Depending on what you were arrested, charged, and convicted of doing, you may need to attend a court-ordered program as part of your release agreement. For example, if your charges had to do with drugs, the judge may have ordered you to attend a program in which you can learn how to avoid the temptation of using drugs while continuing on a better path that involves staying sober and doing positive things in your life. A probation violation attorney can help you understand these programs and your options.
Using Marijuana or Other Substances That Could Cause a Failed Drug Test
Because marijuana is becoming legalized in many states across the country, you may feel like it is acceptable for you to smoke it while on probation, but that is not true. You would need to talk to your probation officer about it beforehand. If it is illegal in your area, you could easily violate your probation and get sent back to jail for failing a drug test, thereby needing the assistance of a Florida defense attorney.
And, if you are using any other substances that are considered illegal and should not be used, you would be considered in violation of the terms of your probation. These substances are not worth going back to jail over, so make it a priority to stay clean and sober for those random drug tests that you might need to take. A Florida criminal defense lawyer would advise against any recreational drugs when you are on probation.
Did You Unintentionally Violate Your Probation? Let Foley & Wilson Law Firm Help
Did you violate your probation by mistake? Whether you failed to pay fees, forgot about attending a court-ordered program, or used a substance that is considered illegal and failed a drug test, you might have been unintentionally violating the probation that you were put on after getting released from jail or as an agreement to avoid jail in the first place.
Now that you are facing additional legal trouble, Foley & Wilson Law Firm would like to help. You need a probation violation attorney who is ready to put up a fight for you. Call our office to get the help you need at 239-690-6080.