Q: Court documentation of suspended time
So I have a friend who was sentenced to 20 years with 18 and 10 months suspended leaving him to serve the remaining 14 but we got his papers from work which said he has 19 years and 10 months suspended and it’s signed and stamped by a judge so could he potentially get out because of the technicality
A: A sentence of 20 years with 18 years 10 months suspended means the active sentence (what the defendant must serve) is 1 year 2 months. A sentence of 20 years with 19 year 10 months suspended means the active sentence is 2 months. Of the active part, the defendant serves 85%. Whatever sentence order the judge signed is what the jail will follow. It may be that the defefendant’s attorney negotiated a sentence of “time served”. The defendant should speak to his attorney.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
