What Is Deferred Adjudication?

In Texas, regardless of whether the defendant is placed on probation or deferred adjudication, the proper term is called community supervision. Essentially, community supervision means that a person, instead of going to jail, a person is allowed to live and work in the community while being monitored by the court. The court will generally delegate the day-to-day monitoring to the county probation office.

Deferred adjudication is generally an option for first time offenders. That is, a person who has a conviction on his or her record will not be offered deferred adjudication. Also, it is not generally offered to those serious and more notorious crimes. Thus, Charles Manson was not offered deferred adjudication.

Here are two key things to remember about deferred adjudication. First, a jury cannot award deferred adjudication. Thus, if a person elects to go to trial he or she cannot get deferred adjudication. Secondly, if a person pleads guilty and is placed on deferred adjudication, then that person can be subject to the entire range of punishment if he or she is revoked from deferred adjudication.

Click here for a previous blog entry on deferred adjudication.

Contact a Plano criminal defense attorney today.