Savannah Parole Violation Lawyer
Parole allows people to leave prison and complete their sentences outside of jail under specific restrictions. Violating any of those restrictions could mean going back to jail. Conditions and limitations of parole typically include:
- Attending regular meetings with a parole officer
- Avoiding people who have been convicted of a crime
- Remaining in a specific geographical area
- Not committing another crime
What Are the Consequences of Violating Parole?
Violating certain conditions of parole could result in being sent back to prison. A court will decide if you are guilty of violating parole and what the consequences should be depending on the type of violation. Consequences of violating parole include:
- Being arrested for violating parole
- Having your parole revoked
- Having your parole term increased
- Paying fines
- Facing charges for crimes committed while on parole
What Is the Legal Process After Violating Parole?
- Arrest or Revocation – After a parole violation, the Parole Board may issue a warrant for your arrest. If you fail to report to your parole officer or show up for a court date, your parole may be revoked by a Parole Board revocation order. Your sentence is essentially paused from the date of the order, meaning any time after the order will not be considered time served.
- Preliminary Hearing Scheduled – After issuing an arrest warrant for your parole violation, the Parole Board will schedule a preliminary hearing with a Parole Board officer who has not been involved with your case. This hearing is not required if:
- The Parole Board doesn’t issue an arrest warrant
- You sign a waiver refusing a preliminary hearing
- You admit your violation to a Parole Board representative with a third-party witness who is not a Parole Board representative
- You get convicted of an additional crime, whether in Georgia, another state, or by a Federal court.
- Notice of Preliminary Hearing – The court will notify you of your preliminary hearing to give you and your attorney time to prepare.
- Preliminary Hearing – The hearing will determine if there is probable cause to believe you violated parole and if the arrest warrant should continue to stand. At the hearing you and your attorney can present evidence and witness testimony, make statements, answer questions, and cross-examine witnesses as long as it would not cause harm to the witness.
Fighting a Parole Violation
There are many reasons to fight a parole violation – namely, avoiding prison and additional time on parole. The Parole Board should hear your side of the story and consider your unique circumstances. At The Turner Firm, we’re known for working hard to keep our clients out of prison. We frequently negotiate with the Parole Board and courts to resolve parole disputes, and we work quickly to help our clients avoid additional jail time.
If you want to avoid going back to jail because of a parole violation, contact us as soon as possible to discuss your case. We will review your case for free at no obligation to you, and we’re available to meet online or over the phone 24/7. Even if you don’t decide to hire us, you’ll have more information after our meeting to help you make an informed decision about your next steps.