If you have been placed on probation or community control, you have been advised of the conditions of your supervision. Should you violate those conditions by intentionally and materially breaking the rules, then you risk having your probation or community control violated. Your probation officer will report to the judge who will be asked to sign a warrant for your arrest and you may be kept in the county jail without bond pending the results of your hearing. While a judge has the authority to set a bond, he or she is not required to do so. In fact, in many cases where a violation of probation or community control arises, the court prefers not to set a bond.

After a violation warrant is issued, you will be brought before a judge and provided a copy of the charges. You will be asked if you admit or deny the violation. If you deny the violation, your case will be set for a hearing before the judge at a future date. You should be aware that you do not have the right to a trial by jury on a probation or community control violation, but simply a hearing before the court.

If you admit the violation, that is equivalent to pleading guilty and the judge will impose sentence. Because violations of probation or community control are serious, a person accused of a violation is often looking at incarceration. Therefore, it is very important that prior to entering any plea or appearing at a probation or community control violation hearing that you have the advantage of representation by a competent criminal attorney.