WHAT IS COURT SUPERVISION?

Court Supervision is one of many possible dispositions to dispose of a criminal or traffic matter without a conviction being entered against you. 

There is a common misperception that getting court supervision means that there is no “record” of the disposition.  While there are many benefits of court supervision, this is not one of them.  Unless action is granted to seal or expunge an arrest and disposition there is a “record” of the sentence noted in the public records. 

Court Supervision is commonly negotiated for “first offenders” as a way to avoid conviction.

The lawyers at the Russo Law Offices can often negotiate this type of disposition even if you have received court supervision previously.  We can evaluate your case to determine eligibility and, if you wish, work in your behalf to avoid a conviction being entered against you.  We will also evaluate to determine if aggressively defending to beat all charges is feasible.

A sentence of court supervision normally requires that a person stay out of trouble for a period of time ranging from three months to two years.  A person may also be required to meet other conditions such as performing public service work or attending some type of classes depending on the charges and the particular facts of the case.

Most court supervision sentences can be expungable in the future if successfully completed. This does not happen automatically and requires a petition to be filed with the Court. If you have had a prior sentence of Court Supervision you may contact Russo Law Offices for an evaluation to determine eligibility for expungement to keep the “record” from public access.

Judges have a great deal of discretion in deciding to grant or deny a petition for expungement. A prosecutor may object and/or a judge may not grant it, even when eligible.  It is best to at least consult with an attorney to see what can be done to make sure you get the best result possible and are eligible. It is usually cheaper to have a lawyer handle it from the beginning than to try to seek reconsideration or refile for the expungement. However a lawyer is not necessary.

Either way Russo Law Offices will be happy to discuss options with you.