Probation Violation? You Absolutely Need a Lawyer.
Now offering legal defense on probation violations for individuals in Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Snohomish, and Island Counties.
Whether on active, inactive, or bench probation, if you receive a notice alleging that you violated probation, you should not face the allegation alone.
Under State and Federal law, people accused of violating terms of their probation are entitled to legal representation and to have their lawyer defend them in court. Hiring the right lawyer in the initial stages of a probation violation proceeding can make the difference between winning the violation hearing, or losing and facing severe consequences.
You may be asking, "Where’s my original lawyer? How come he or she can’t or won’t help me now?” Well, most of the time, the attorney who represented you on your original case is not obligated to automatically handle probation matters. Many attorneys withdraw right after your conviction, and some simply do not feel comfortable working in the probation violation arena.
Going it alone is very, very risky. Every day, probationers make the huge mistake of going to court alone. They either end up admitting violations they did not commit, or accepting punishment for a violation without knowing what options might exist to fight the allegations. These unrepresented probationers can be—and often are—taken advantage of by prosecutors and probation officers. Courts are routinely accepting recommendations of prosecutors and probation officers to impose jail sentences and fines that are often three to five times greater than the person’s original sentence.
An accusation is enough! Most people do not realize that if you are on probation and are accused of committing another crime, the accusation alone can be enough to be considered a probation violation. Without an attorney to guide you through the process, you could be found in violation of your probation even if the new charges are dismissed.
The trial attorneys of the Lustick Law Firm, PLLC have a proven record of skillfully defending citizens accused of probation violations. With our collective experiences and knowledge as former prosecutors and former public defenders, we have successfully defeated or mitigated thousands of alleged individual probation violations throughout the State and Federal court systems
The Possible Consequences Are Huge.
In the State and Federal court systems, when someone is found guilty of violating probation, it almost certainly leads to more jail time, more court costs and fines, and an extension of probation time. Many times, the jail time imposed after someone is found guilty of a probation violation is staggering. The court can also order someone back into post-conviction treatment or demand that the person resume restrictions on travel.
Recent examples of sentences for probation violations include:
- A person with one prior DUI conviction admitted drinking at a friend’s wedding and received a revocation of probation and a sentence of 30 days in jail.
- A person convicted of possession of marijuana admitted to being arrested for a theft charge and was continued on probation with a sanction of ten days in jail.
- A person who was on probation for an assault conviction admitted dropping out of treatment because they couldn’t miss work, received 45 days in jail, and was ordered to restart all of their treatment from the beginning.
What these people have in common is they each had no legal representation when it came time to appear in court and answer the alleged violation.
Hiring a Lawyer For Probation is Affordable & Easy.
There is no get out of jail free card, but hard work and excellent legal representation in any case makes a big difference. This is why at the Lustick Law Firm, PLLC we have made hiring a probation law attorney both easy and affordable.
The Lustick Law Firm, PLLC offers a free, no-obligation office consultation for you to find out how we can positively affect your situation. Even if you haven’t previously worked with our attorneys, and even if you had a different attorney representing you in the past, we always stand ready to defend you.
Just because the consequences for a probation violation may be three to five times greater than the original sentence, it doesn’t mean the legal fees need to be three to five times as large. In fact, in most cases, the legal fees for legal representation through the Lustick Law Firm at a fully contested probation hearing are extremely reasonable and affordable. Considering what is at stake in any probation violation case, it’s hard to consider not hiring an attorney.
Call us today to arrange for a consultation regarding your Probation Violation case.
Bellingham: (360) 685-4221
Mount Vernon: (360) 873-8882
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