How should I plead so that I can get court supervision on my drug paraphenalia charge if I haven’t gotten in trouble before?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How should I plead so that I can get court supervision on my drug paraphenalia charge if I haven’t gotten in trouble before?
Asked on December 25, 2012 under Criminal Law, Illinois
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You really should have an attorney help you with this. However, if you are unable to hire/be appointed legal counsel, you can ask the prosecutor for something known as "diversion" (or your state's equivalent). This is an alternative sentencing remedy available only to first-time offenders. Pursuant to a diversion, you will enter a plea of guiilty, serve a special probation, and upon its competion have your plea withdrawn and the case dismissed. You will be left with a clear criminal history record.
However, if you should ever have a subsequent arrest, diversion will not be available to you (since you will no longer be a first-time offender). Consequently, if you hire a lawyer who can get the charge dismissed (on a technicality, etc.), you would be able to arrange for a diversion in the future if you should ever need it.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.