Can I get my charges dropped and not face jail time if this is my first offense? 50 Answers as of October 31, 2011

It depends on what you are charged with and the facts surrounding the situation. You may be eligible for Diversion or Drug Court. Both programs potentially keep convictions off of your record.

With a good criminal defense attorney you may be able to avoid both jail and a felony conviction.

The best thing you can do to prevent a felony conviction that carries jail time is to retain counsel.

You should consult with an attorney to discuss your case in more detail. Your best chances of getting the charges dismissed, reduced, and consequences minimized is to hire a good criminal defense attorney.

You have not provided me with any information about the nature of your offense. However, I can tell you that acting alone, without counsel, will certainly eliminate any chance of getting the charges dropped or reduced. So, I would advise you to hire counsel and let him work in resolving your case in the best way possible. Some charges carry mandatory prison time, so there is no guarantee that you will get probation, it depends on what you are charged with, and how good your attorney is.

Hello- You should ask for a "deferred judgment," which after a period of probation, would permit your charges to be dropped.

My advise would be to immediately retain an experienced criminal defense attorney to defend your freedom. You do not want to defend yourself against a felony charge. You will be a sitting duck for the prosecution without an experienced defense lawyer.

If you did the crime, do the time. There might be a chance the charge might be reduced, but you need to stop doing stupid stuff.

I would certainly need to know a lot more about your case(s) to answer that question.

The fact that it is your first offense does not give you any right to get the charges dropped.

It is possible to have the charges reduced and to avoid jail time but it takes some know how to even attempt to do it. It will require either negotiating for that result with the prosecutor or figuring out whether you might be able to get that result by going to trial in the event the prosecutor won't make that kind of a deal. A lawyer knows how to do those things and give you proper advice.

It all depends on what type of case it is. Some felonies are able to qualify for diversion which would allow the person a second chance.

We recommend you retain a criminal lawyer as soon as possible to discuss all the facts, along with your rights and options, including the potential for fst offender probation. Again, see a lawyer ASAP! Good luck.

You can request to be treated as a Youthful Offender if this is a nonviolent crime. Violent crimes do not qualify.

That is possible, depending on the facts.

Depending on the charge, you may have the option of a diversion program such as Pre-trial Intervention. This is a program available to first time offenders which is similar to probation. The difference is that if you complete the program, the charges are dismissed. I suggest you consult an experienced Criminal Defense attorney to discuss your case in greater detail and learn all of your rights and options. Good luck.

I need more information - you don't even mention what you're charged with. Generally, a charged case is not just going to be "dropped" without a very compelling reason. Jail time is subjective and depends largely on the details of the particular case and your personal circumstances.

It depends on the felony and the facts. If I said anymore I would be just guessing.

There are many different factors that would determine that. Some counties offer diversion programs which can keep a person's record clean. There are also sentencing options available that can accomplish that as well, but it all depends on the facts of the case.

What kind of felony charge is it? It will depend on a lot of things including how severe a felony. It's it's something like assault with intent to kill, armed robbery, or rape, then it's probably unlikely. If it's something lesser, it's a lot more possible. Felonies get lowered to misdemeanors all the time as a result of plea bargains. It secures the prosecution a conviction on something and saves the time and expense of going to trial. You could also ask for a Killebrew agreement regarding no jail at the time of sentencing. Your lawyer will be able to give you a more precise answer regarding your situation. A lot will also depend on what the victim, if any, wants to see done, what the circumstances were regarding the crime, who the judge and prosecutor are, etc.

There is no magic word to get your charges dropped merely because it is a first offense. You need to speak with an experienced criminal law attorney about the specific facts of your case.

In the first place, you need to hire the very best criminal defense attorney you can afford. The very idea of you handling a felony charge on your own is just wrong. A good attorney may be able to help you avoid prison, ail time, and perhaps even a conviction.

You are under 19 and therefore eligible for youthful offender treatment. You will probably end up on probation but not have a jail term or a criminal record.

Unfortunately you do not provide sufficient facts to answer your question. However, if you are facing felony charges you need to immediately confer with an experienced criminal defense law firm to go over your case in detail.

It depends on the actual felony charges, the facts of the case and the county you are in. You need to consult a lawyer if you want any chance at getting the charges completely dismissed.

In order to answer your question, I need much more information than you have provided. I have no idea what crime you are being charged with, what the evidence is against you, where you are being prosecuted, or how far your case has gotten in the legal system. If you want our assistance, please contact our office.

The fact it is a first offense is not going to be grounds in almost any jurisdiction for dismissal although depending on the crime and the jurisdiction it may be grounds to reduce the charge to a misdemeanour. Certain felonies are eligible for first time offender waiver which can give the court the discretion to sentence someone to no jail time.

You need a lawyer to do the talking for you. You can't handle this on your own.

If you are charged with a felony, you should be seeking the advice of an attorney who you hire, not free legal advice through the internet. You would be foolish to try to handle a matter so serious by yourself or even with online advice. If you can afford an attorney, hire one. If you are afraid to speak with your family about this, get over it and speak with them. That is what families are for, to be there in times of need. If they cannot or will not help you and you cannot afford an attorney, then ask the court to appoint one for you. They certainly will as long as you qualify financially. This is not something to take lightly. I know it is a hard thing to deal with at such a young age and that is why it is so important to get a good attorney to assist you.

In order to save your good name and your future, you should hire a criminal attorney quickly. Depending on the circumstances there could be a number of ways to avoid a conviction.

It depends on the charges and the facts but there may be a chance under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. You need a good attorney. THis is something that the judgehas to agree to and it helps if the prosecutor agrees also.You have to be between the ages of 17 and 21 when the crime was commited. It can't be for certain offenses.You are given probation jail or even prison, but most judges don't give you treatment under "Holmes" if they are going to send you to prison. If you successfully complete you sentence there is no public record. You need an attorney.

CAN the case end up being reduced or dropped? Sure. Is that likely, just because you want it, or because it is your first offense? No. The police and DA don't spend time and money arresting, charging and prosecuting cases only to drop them without a fight, and a reason to do so. Thats what attorneys are for. When charged with any felony, you potentially face one or more years in prison if convicted, so handle this right. When arrested or charged with any crime, the proper questions are, can any evidence obtained in a test, search or confession be used against you, and can you be convicted, and what can you do? Raise all possible defenses with whatever admissible and credible witnesses, evidence, facts and sympathies are available for legal arguments, for evidence suppression or other motions, or at trial. Effective plea-bargaining, using those defenses, could possibly keep you out of jail, or at least dramatically reduce it. If you don't know how to do these things effectively against an experienced prosecutor intending to convict, then hire an attorney that does, who will try to get a dismissal, diversion, reduction or other decent outcome through plea bargain, or take it to trial if appropriate.

It all depends on what the charge is and any mitigating factors or evidentiary or legal issues which can be used in negotiation with the prosecutor.

Probably not. If your conduct rose to the level of a felony, and there is probable cause to support the charge or charges, the most you can hope for is to be treated as a first-time offender and to stay out of prison.

Without knowing the actual felony charge or the facts of the case that is a hard question to answer. While charges can sometimes be dropped, dismissed or reduced - that is something lawyers do. You need a lawyer to handle a matter as serious as a felony charge. If you try to avoid legal fees now, that felony charge could follow you for the rest of your life. This is no time to be frugal.

There is a lot you can do to negotiate a lesser charge, but sentencing is going to be up to the judge. There is no negotiating with the judge. You can seek sympathy, but that usually doesn't go far. I'd recommend fighting the charges.

It depends on what you are being charged with.

Felony charges range from simple possession of drugs for personal use up to murder. Without knowing what felony you face or a whole lot more details about the situation, there is absolutely no way to guess what the odds are. Your age and the fact that this is your first offense will help, but it really depends on what you're charged with and what the facts are. Bottom line is you are facing a felony now. It's time for an attorney.

That's going to depend on which felony offense you're talking about, the evidence the DA's office has, what kind of case your attorney can make for why you should be given a second chance, if there's a victim, what their wishes are, and generally speaking what the policies and available programs (pretrial diversion, etc.) are for that county.