Deferred prosecution is just what the name suggests. That is, the State and the Defendant may agree to postpone prosecution of a case, to give the Defendant the opportunity to prove that he can be a good citizen, abide by the law, hold down a job, and otherwise successfully perform under an agreement he and the State make.

Because deferred prosecutions are not a preferred way of disposing of cases by prosecutors, they are difficult to get. Nevertheless, circumstances may arise where the State may want to agree to such a disposition of a case. Deferred prosecution is a form of probation without first being prosecuted for a crime. Your prosecution is either dropped or tabled for an agreed period of time so that you may complete the requirements of your agreement with the state.