Facts:
In 2007, my client was visiting Pinellas County. He was arrested and charged with petit theft, a misdemeanor. He went to court the next morning and the judge placed him on probation, ordered him to pay a fine, and to complete a shoplifter’s awareness class. My client paid the fine and did the class. He thought that everything was over. It was not. He still had to complete probation. A warrant for violating probation was issued. No one ever notified him or contacted him about it.
The warrant sat open for 17 years. My client lives out of state, so it never affected him. But, in 2024, my client’s job got a new contract with a naval base. In order to be permitted on the naval base, he had to undergo a higher security clearance. He could not pass the background check because of the warrant from 2007 in Pinellas County. He contacted me to handle it.
The Case:
I immediately confirmed with the probation office that he had completed all of his conditions of probation. The sole reason for the VOP was his failure to continue to report to them.
I contacted the prosecutor and asked if they would dismiss the case. I asked over and over and there was no response. I also reached out to the judge and she set a hearing to discuss it.
The Result:
I went to the hearing to discuss a resolution. The prosecutor said that they objected to dismissing the VOP. The judge listened to me and agreed that my client should never have been put on probation in the first place. The VOP was dismissed and my client was very happy. He never had to come back to Florida either.
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