Deferred and Suspended Sentences in Wagoner County are very different from each other. Many people hear about deferred sentences and suspended sentences in law.  However, not as many understand the intricacies and the differences in criminal sentencing.  And they are, notably different.  Below is a summary of the sentencing and how a deferment is different from a suspended sentence in a criminal case

Deferred Sentences

The process of entering and completing a deferred sentence is in 22 Okl.Stat.Ann. § 991(c).  The basic steps are:

Step 1:  You enter a plea of guilty or no contest.  This must occur intelligently, meaning you know what you are doing.

Step 2:  The judge will then delay accepting the judgment, and instate a deferred sentence.

Step 3:  The court will assign you a set of tasks that you must complete by a certain deadline.  This deadline must be within ten (10) years.

Step 4:  Upon the deadline, the court will review the tasks for completion.  If you have successfully finished the assignments, then the court will request you appear.

Step 5:  You appear for court and the court expunges your record, leaving no trace of the crime.

As a requirement for the deferred sentence, some tasks will likely be paying off all court costs and fines, community service hours, victim reparations, supervision for a time, and sometimes even short jail sentences.  But if you do not complete the tasks, your initial guilty or no contest plea will enter officially.  You will then be subject to the original sentence without alternative.

Suspended Sentences

Suspended sentences in Wagoner County, while similar to deferments, are different.  In a like process, a plea enters and the judge delays accepting the plea.  The court also assigns a set of tasks with a deadline for completion.  The difference though, is that suspended sentences do not automatically come with an expungement.  Because they are generally a tool for criminal charges, you must separately apply for an expungement from the record of a suspended sentence.  If you fail to complete your suspended sentence requirements, then you may face other punishments as well.

Wagoner Criminal Defense Help

Deferred and Suspended Sentences in Wagoner County are very different. They have a different impact on your criminal record and potential time in jail. They also differ in the ability you have to seal or expunge the record in the future. If you are facing criminal charges in Wagoner County we can help you. Contact the Wagoner County criminal defense attorney at Kania Law Office and get a free consultation or click and ask a free legal question.