Alternative Sentencing
Colorado Alternative Sentencing Attorney
A DUI in Colorado carries stiff penalties, including a real possibility of jail time. Seeking alternative sentencing in DUI cases requires an experienced alternative sentencing attorney and DUI lawyer. If you are facing DUI charges, you could also be facing jail time and we encourage you to contact a skilled Colorado Springs alternative sentencing attorney as soon as possible. We will stand up for your rights. We will work hard to see that your life and your future are not jeopardized by these charges.
As a defendant, might you qualify for alternative sentencing to jail time?
The answer depends on the circumstances of your crime and the alternative sentencing options -- as well as the effectiveness of your legal defense and the leniency of your prosecutor/judge. In general, offenders convicted of major felonies or who pose an ongoing risk to the community or to individuals will not qualify. If your crime, however, was nonviolent, if the victim was in some way at fault for what happened (even partially), if you're willing to make some attempt to restitute the victim, and if you're not a danger to society or to yourself, alternative sentencing options likely exist for you.
So what are they?
One option is a so-called "suspended sentence." This is an actual jail sentence that is suspended in order to allow the defendant to undergo counseling, probation, therapy, or another form of alternative restitution/penance rather than actually being incarcerated.
An alternative to jail can also involve little more than making a payment or payments as punishment. Specifically, one can pay fines and restitution -- either directly to a victim or to a victimized organization or family -- or to the state or government.
Another form of alternative sentencing is community service. In essence, a defendant makes up his debt by volunteering in clinics, cleaning up trash, or otherwise contributing to the betterment of society as a means of repaying or repenting for damage done.
Probation is yet another option. Offenders must check in with probation officers, abstain from further crimes or abuses of drugs or alcohol, stay within a certain jurisdiction, avoid people, buildings, and organizations deemed by the court as off limits, and obey other restrictions.
If you're looking for an alternative to a jail sentence for a Colorado crime you've been accused of committing, you'll need stout and experienced legal assistance. Timothy Bussey, an expertColorado alternative sentencing attorney and former Active Duty Judge Advocate for the United States Air Force, can help you strategize for your best defense. Contact The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. in Colorado Springs, Colorado today by dialing (719) 475-2555 or by e-mailing our offices through our DUI defense website.
