Probation comes with many rules to follow. You may be required to meet regularly with a probation officer, perform community service, submit to random drug testing, or meet other requirements imposed by the court. There are numerous ways to violate the conditions of probation, ranging from minor technical violations to serious willful violations. The sanctions for a violation will depend heavily on the circumstances, including what type of violation was involved and whether you have prior violations. 

In the most severe cases, your probation could be revoked entirely, and you could be required to serve your full jail sentence. It is important that you are represented by an experienced attorney who can make the case that your violation does not warrant this type of consequence. 

What Are Some Less Serious Probation Violations? 

A minor technical violation probably will not lead to jail time, but it is important to tread carefully. Repeated violations, even of a minor nature, may result in increasingly harsh consequences if the court begins to believe that you are not taking your probation seriously. Less serious violations include: 

It’s a common misconception that only those found guilty of a crime have a criminal record. However, if you’re arrested, charged, or convicted of a crime, Texas will put this information on your criminal record.

After “paying your debt to society” through fines, jail time, or probation, many people believe they can now put this chapter behind them and start fresh. Unfortunately, a person’s criminal history can make that a difficult thing to do.

The Effects of a Criminal History

Employment

Employers can disqualify candidates for a number of reasons, including a previous arrest or conviction.

Facing criminal charges is one of the most overwhelming, scary, and uncertain experiences a person can go through. With everything from your freedom to reputation on the line, you should never take a charge — whether misdemeanor or felony — lightly.

Regardless of how much work you believe you can do yourself, the criminal justice system makes it virtually impossible for people to adequately represent themselves. With so much on the line, it’s always best to put your trust in an experienced attorney.

Why You Should Hire a Defense Attorney

1. They understand the criminal justice system.

No one understands the intricacies of the criminal justice system better than a defense lawyer. Even if you’ve been through the system before or believe you have a strong understanding of how everything works, the nature of criminal cases is incredibly complicated. At Marsala Law Group, we take pride in the fact that we walk our clients through every step of the process, explaining what they can expect and answering any questions.

Few people want a mistake they made years ago to follow them for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a criminal record can do.

Because a criminal record can affect a person’s ability to find a job, get good housing, or be an effective parent, many people request to have their criminal record expunged.

Expunction vs. Nondisclosure

Texas allows adults two general ways to clean up their arrest record — expunction and nondisclosure.

After a person is found guilty of a crime, they may be put on probation — a sanction that’s been ordered by the court system. Probation allows a person to stay in the community, so long as they're supervised by a probation officer and follow any other court-ordered rules.

While probation is almost always a more preferential sanction than jail or prison time, it’s not without its own set of rules and regulations, many of which can impact your life. After a few months or years, many people begin to wonder if it’s possible to get off probation (or deferred adjudication) early.

Probation vs. Deferred Adjudication

Unlike probation, deferred adjudication is not a conviction. If you’re placed on deferred adjudication, you’ll likely have to report to a probation officer and abide by the terms of your probation while living within the community. However, you are not found guilty when placed on deferred adjudication.