What id the difference between “convicted” and “deffered adjudication”?
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What id the difference between “convicted” and “deffered adjudication”?
Asked on July 12, 2011 under Criminal Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
"Convicted" means that you have either pled guilty or been found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury of your peers. You are legally guilty of a crime, which--besides the jail time and fines you could face--means that a criminal record will come up on background checks, you may lose the right to vote (for felonies) or to have certain jobs (e.g. in the financial industy), and/or face other penalties.
"Deferred adjudication" means that no determination has been made--you have *not* been found guilty. Rather, the case has not been tried or disposed of, and instead is "pending." That is, the government could look to try to later, but has not done so yet.
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