Judges across Georgia are cancelling tens of thousands of arrest warrants tied to misdemeanor probation cases, the result of a new Supreme Court decision that has upended the way courts handle low-level offenders accused of skipping out on probation requirements.
The Supreme Court stunned Georgia judges and probation companies last week with its ruling, which found that state law doesn’t authorize putting misdemeanor probation sentences on hold if a probationer stops reporting as required. Issuing arrest warrants and stopping the clock on probation sentences has been a standard practice for years in the courts that handle traffic offenses, DUIs and other misdemeanor charges.
The decision means thousands of people accused of disappearing before they completed probation requirements will no longer face an arrest over those failures. Some are being released from jail.
The Supreme Court stunned Georgia judges and probation companies last week with its ruling, which found that state law doesn’t authorize putting misdemeanor probation sentences on hold if a probationer stops reporting as required. Issuing arrest warrants and stopping the clock on probation sentences has been a standard practice for years in the courts that handle traffic offenses, DUIs and other misdemeanor charges.
The decision means thousands of people accused of disappearing before they completed probation requirements will no longer face an arrest over those failures. Some are being released from jail.
Well, if you can lay low for a year, then you've got it made. This is especially problematic for out of state violators. This pretty much means any out of state driver needs to be taken to jail to make a cash bond. Of course, I'm sure the sheriffs will love it when a horde of traffic violators are taking up bed space in their facilities.
Honestly, I may just stop writing tickets. Between Ferguson and this, I'm about to the point of not even bothering.
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