What Can Change with a Modification of Probation?

Probation is one of the more common sentences that a judge can pass down to a plaintiff in court. The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) states that there were over 82,000 Arizonans on parole in 2015, and that number is likely to have gone up slightly.

That means that a decent percentage of the population is currently dealing with, has dealt with in the past, or is closely related to someone dealing with probation. All of those people who are familiar with the system could tell you the same thing: It’s a life-altering hassle.

Luckily, there are options for those who feel they are being unjustly punished, either by not deserving probation in the first place, or for being sentenced to a much longer period of probation than necessary.

Modifying Probation and What it Means

First of all, when would someone need to have their probation modified? Well, in addition to the situations above talking about correcting an imbalance, probations are often modified when an individual’s life circumstances require it. For example, if an individual is hired for a new position or receives a promotion at their current company that requires them to travel out-of-state occasionally, it will be necessary to modify the terms of their probation.

In situations such as that, judges will often look at the terms of the probation and modify them to allow the new position’s requirements to fit within the updated terms, but in some cases, the probation can be outright cancelled, and an individual’s civil rights restored. Those situations, while not exactly common, are far more likely to happen if an individual has had zero issues complying with their probation up to that point.

Some other common ways probation terms can be modified are as follows:

• Requesting incarceration time be reduced, or replaced entirely with house arrest
• Lowering fines, court fees, and other restitutions
• Stopping unnecessary counseling sessions and drug testing
• Getting temporary leave from jail for family emergencies
• Being approved for extra time to do community service

Those are just a few examples, but hopefully they should paint a picture for you showing that probation terms are not carved in stone. They need to be adhered to 100%, but with a skilled probation modification attorney on your side, you should be able to get the terms reduced enough that you can still live and enjoy your life.