California pretrial diversion programs give eligible defendants a chance to avoid jail time if they successfully complete treatment and education courses.
Pretrial diversion can be described as a court putting proceedings on hold while a defendant who was arrested and charged with a crime completes court ordered courses.
If the defendant is successful, then the court will dismiss and seal their criminal case as if it never occurred. Pretrial diversion means no time in jail or any record of a conviction.
Defendants who were charged with a crime is able to receive treatment and complete some needed courses.
In other words, the pretrial diversion programs in California are an excellent opportunity for a defendant. In many criminal cases, it’s a defendant’s best solution to resolve their case.
The primary types of California diversion programs are:
- Penal Code 1000 PC – drug diversion;
- Penal Code 100.36 PC – mental health diversion;
- Penal Code 1001.81 PC – military diversion.
For most defendants, the most difficult part is qualifying for pretrial diversion and then completing successfully completing the program within the required timeframe.
Pretrial diversion can be complicated. This means you will need a seasoned lawyer who is familiar with the court process, judges, and prosecutors.
Our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers are providing a detailed review below.