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community service and probation help

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eddieman214

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

Dallas Texas.

If i could get some direct help by Monday 28th. id greatly appreciate it.
Im on probation for 6 months and Feb. is my last month. the crime being a misdemeanor a, prohibited weapon, charge which i got deferred. i paid off all my court fees, my fines and my probation fines along with finishing all the requirements except my community service hours. I have only 80 hours to do for my probation and so for i have only done 24 and by Monday the 28th i would have 48 hours. i wont have enough time to finish being that on monday is the day i would have to report. since i dont have all my hours i was wondering if i would get arrested for not finishing my hours when im making an attempt to finish them. please help being that im hearing diffrent things like nothing will happen to they will place you in jail. like everyone, im not trying to go to jail being that i have a son to care for and its hard to find time to go do community service with a full time job. any tips and or advices would help. thank you for you help and i look forward to your reply.
 


justalayman

Senior Member
so, you couldn't do 3 hours a week so now you are trying to cram them all in and wonder how the courts will feel about that.

They won't be happy. If they will do anything other than tell you to finish them, possibly with a hard deadline, nobody but the court will know.

I suspect what they might to is going to be based on your explanation for why you didn't do 3 hours of CS a week so you would be done when you were supposed to be.
 

eddieman214

Junior Member
I was appointed a place that only does eight hour seissions a day. Its from seven to three only but must be there before six forty five. In order for me to make It i must wake up at five forty five. I admit i was slackin in the beginning partly due to my job. But i need to make money forbills and support. My job is from nine to six so I don't know. I'm not use to waking up early. Thank you for your comments
 
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justalayman

Senior Member
don't you think this is something you should have addressed awhile back, like when you first realized you were having trouble doing your CS and working?

Your

I'm not use to waking up early
is not going to go over well in the court. You have to remember; this is intended as punishment. They might simply say "well, since you didn't want to take advantage of the chance to not have a record and not go to jail, we can always let you go to jail to server your time"

At least you wouldn't have any conflicts with your work hours.

good luck, you're going to need it.
 

eddieman214

Junior Member
yes, your right, i should have addressed it earlier. there is no way i can ask for an extension? all i would need would be 4 more days to complete my service. i know using the "im not use to waking up early" as an excuse and wasnt planning on using that. i know i should have knuckled down and done my buisness. but would there be a chance for me not getting arrested and serve time? its too much to ask for i know but there are time im able to wake up on time but things happen i.e. traffic, accidents, car trouble or personal problems that lag me on my time. there have been many a time i made it to my community service area 1 minute late and yet get turned around to go home because i was late. more excuses yes but im just concerned in what would happen if i go to my PO to report. thank you for your comments and advice. i really do appreciate your help.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
sure you can ask. There really isn't any way to know what a court will do. If I were you, I would bust my butt and get every minute in that you can before you go.

expect to get a tongue lashing. The courts did you a favor by allowing the deferral. It's kind of a slap to them to have you not take advantage of that opportunity. The judge will likely let you know how PO'd he is.

Hopefully he will give you a short extension to complete your time.

i
ts too much to ask for i know but there are time im able to wake up on time but things happen i.e. traffic, accidents, car trouble or personal problems that lag me on my time
yes, you are right, excuses. If it was a problem getting there when you woke at 5:45, then wake at 5:30. You are an adult and the courts expect you to be responsible for yourself.

Courts will often listen to good reasons. They generally don't like poor excuses.
 

eddieman214

Junior Member
tell me then, besides the crunch time for hours, what else would you do given my situation? me? my plan was to go in and report, yes i know a tongue lashing would be waiting for me given the alotta time i had to complete my buisness but my take at it would be to lay it all out on the table. i know he would generally ask me " why i havent complted my time" i would be frank and tell im i could give him all these excuses but wont because he would have most likely have heard them before, and if i could get a small extension to complete the rest of my days, and with that, i could get out of his way and be on my way with my life. but that plan seems too plain. please, what would you do if you dont mind me asking. trust me sir, i wouldnt try to take your advice as in you tell me what you would do in my situation and i turn around and go do it. i would just take your constructive criticism in thought and try to work up a best plan to go through this without no problems for me and my family.

also, they have it set up in the courts where your able to bring in set amounts of canned foods to replace half of your hours or a good portion of it rather than do them at CS. i was told i wasnt able to, but would there be a way for them to over look that and see if i Am able to bring in canned foods, with my charge, to replace the 32 hours i have yet to finish?

thank you for your time
 

ERAUPIKE

Senior Member
You were given ample time to complete your communtity service but you failed to do so. You have an unlimited number of excuses why you didn't go but you are smart enough to know that the court doesn't want to hear them. the judge is going to ask you why the hours weren't completed and you will find it will be much more adventagous to have an answer to that question.

No, if you were told that you can't do something, that isn't going to change so that you can complete your required hours. What have you done to deserve an extension? Why didn't your hours get completed on time? Why should the court grant you any leniency? These are questions that you might need to be prepared to answer in court.
 

davew128

Senior Member
What did the court say when you brought it to its attention when you FIRST NOTICED you had a scheduling conflict?
 

eddieman214

Junior Member
i was given community service in the month of january and he wanted me to completed in that same month to, what it seems like make, it easier on him. right now im on a un paid vacation leave from my job to complete my hours. in january i WAS being irresponsible and laging on time but also i had the fines to pay for. in order for that to be paid off i needed to work. i never went to court, everything is handled by my Probation officer. he was upset that i didnt complete it on his desired time but he gave me until feb. to complete it. which i stated before is my last month. Random things came up but im not going to waste time with that. he was upset but was also happy i paid off all my fines and what not. thats pretty much it
 

ERAUPIKE

Senior Member
i was given community service in the month of january and he wanted me to completed in that same month to, what it seems like make, it easier on him. right now im on a un paid vacation leave from my job to complete my hours. in january i WAS being irresponsible and laging on time but also i had the fines to pay for. in order for that to be paid off i needed to work. i never went to court, everything is handled by my Probation officer. he was upset that i didnt complete it on his desired time but he gave me until feb. to complete it. which i stated before is my last month. Random things came up but im not going to waste time with that. he was upset but was also happy i paid off all my fines and what not. thats pretty much it
You expect us to believe that your community service was imposed during the fifth month of your probation period?
 

eddieman214

Junior Member
im not lieing about it. im just saying something this small is sufficient reason to take me to jail? i was givin probation in september and had to complete a anger management class before i was givin community service. my officer even told me that i wold be getting my community service papers after anger management. i completed my classes mid early december but and due to holidays, he would speak to me about community service in the month of january. report date came up and was given papers on CS in jan. and was to complete it in jan. No lie sir
 

dave33

Senior Member
It is likely you were sentenced to everything at once and you're probation officer wanted certain things done first. Basically making an unofficial list. Now, I believe because you did not finish the comm. service you will have to go in front of the judge until it is completed. Instead of a review by the officer, the judge will most likely make you come to court once a month or more to report directly to him. Monthly reviews until completion. It is also possible jail time will be threatened so get it done. goodluck.
 

ERAUPIKE

Senior Member
im not lieing about it. im just saying something this small is sufficient reason to take me to jail? i was givin probation in september and had to complete a anger management class before i was givin community service. my officer even told me that i wold be getting my community service papers after anger management. i completed my classes mid early december but and due to holidays, he would speak to me about community service in the month of january. report date came up and was given papers on CS in jan. and was to complete it in jan. No lie sir
That "something this small" is actually called contempt of court and judges tend to take it pretty seriously. Blaming your failure to complete your community service on the PO will not fly for even one second in court.
 

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