At the Santa Clarita Criminal Courthouse, persons sentenced in misdemeanor cases are typically placed on summary probation. While misdemeanor summary probation does not involve reporting monthly to probation officers, and does not have the same potential repurcussions, such as a state prison sentence, there are still many issues to keep in mind to successfully complete the probation term.
Summary probation is probation to the court and to the judge. A misdemeanor sentence in Santa Clarita is typically three years, with additional orders to complete either jail, community service, fines, and/or classes/programs. A summary probation sentence will also include court fees and a state restutution fine, totaling about $170. Depending on the type of case and related factors, a judge might give up to a year, or longer, for a person to complete the requirements. If a probationer is in school, the court may consider a longer period of time, because college offers the best opportunity to obtain gainful employment in the future.
Most cases have at least one or two progress review dates. The reviews are sometimes handled by the Court Clerk at the Clerk's Office. In many cases, the judge will order a case to be heard in the courtroom, where there is more scrutiny in determining whether a person is on the right course.
Assuming you are not on track, a court has the option to set the case for a probation violation hearing. If your attorney takes a more proactive approach regarding solutions to the judge's concerns, the court may be inclined to grant a short extension to determine if you can be guided more appropriately to complete your requirements.
Ultimately, it is up to the probationer to complete his or her terms in a timely manner. Probationers who do not complete their requirements on time, can be sentenced to jail. That risk of custody in county jail, provides many people with the motivation to complete the terms and conditions. There are other positive reasons for doing so.
facing up to the responsibilities of court orders and completing them on time, provides the court a basis to consider an early termination of probation and expungement in the future. Thus, there can be great benefits in following the terms, impressing the judge, and placing yourself in a position to move forward in a positive direction.