In Denton County, You May Qualify for the Pre-Trial Diversion Program and Earn a Dismissal
Low-risk, first-time offenders charged in Denton County, Texas seek screening and approval of the District Attorney’s office for program eligibility. The benefit of the program is having your case dismissed upon completion of the terms of the individual’s program. Record expunctions are also available.
What is the Pre-Trial Diversion Program in Denton County?
Diversionary programs help people handle criminal charges and make it like nothing happened, and there’s no record. Good people make mistakes. For the right people who don’t have any previous encounters with the justice system, they get a chance to comply with the terms and conditions of the diversion program and make their case go away.
The conditions and terms of the probationary period, under which time the individual must comply, are usually set to match the type of offense.
Common Terms and Conditions Can Include:
- Community Service
- Counseling and Education
- Drug and Alcohol Abstinence and Testing
- Employment or Education Requirements
- No Contact Orders
- Paying Restitution and Fines
- No Further Offenses
Eligibility for Pre-Trial Diversion
You cannot be on another alternative sentencing option or program or have prior convictions. The Denton County Pre-Trial Diversion program is available to true first-time offenders for low-risk offenses.
Common cases where pre-trial diversion is an option are non-violent misdemeanor and low-level felony cases. Common types of cases include marijuana possession, theft, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and arrests for evading.
Outcomes for Participants
If a Denton County Pre-Trial Diversion participant completes the program in the time set in the agreement and satisfies all the program conditions, their underlying case qualifies for dismissal and they can also seek an expunction.
The other option is failing the program and any of its terms and conditions, and if that happens the original case will be back on the Court’s docket for prosecution.
What Type of Offenses Qualify for Pre-Trail Diversion?
The Denton County District Attorney Programs website suggests the typical criminal charges that are the subject of pre-trial diversion programs.
Examples:
- Possession of Marijuana
- Theft
- Criminal Mischief
- Criminal Trespass
- Evading Arrest
When The Program is a Good Option
Complying with the terms of a program is extra work for anyone looking to get a dismissal and expunction if they are eligible to make their case go away with the pre-trial diversion program. When the individual charged with an offense, is concerned with the negative implications of a conviction on their life, this program makes sense.
An underlying consideration is whether the state can prove the underlying charge and achieve a not-guilty verdict if you fought the case. It’s just something to think about. But when you and your attorney decide the best course of action is to participate in pre-trial diversion, you have a good option, for its benefits.
The Role of Your Defense Attorney in Pre-Trial Diversion
It is important to obtain the advice of an experienced criminal defense attorney who can let you know what the implications are when taking different options in your case. The way the laws are written, people can end up with enhanced charges and penalties in the future if they make certain decisions affecting their records today.
In Denton, Tarrant, and Collin Counties, people trust Attorney Gregory S. Boling at GSB Law, PLLC, the Boling Law Firm in Denton, Texas. Attorney Boling knows the various laws and programs available to individuals charged with various offenses, and that experience matters when alternative options are available. Contact GSB Law, PLLC. Call for assistance (940) 220-7080 day or night.