Both Alpharetta and Milton Municipal Courts have a plea option known as a "hold and clear". A hold and clear is a way to resolve your case and ultimately have it removed from your record, if approved by the prosecutor. To enter into a hold and clear agreement, your lawyer will speak with the prosecutor and negotiate certain terms for your particular charge.
Frequently, hold and clear pleas involve some mix of:
- a fine payment
- community service work
-
counseling specific to your charges
- a probation period
- payment of probation fees
To enter a hold and clear plea, you are actually pleading Guilty to your case upfront with the understanding that your case will be dismissed after a set period of time. Typically, the court will require you to spend anywhere from 6-12 months on probation, reporting once a month and successfully completing all required terms. If you fail to complete the terms, or if you are rearrested, your hold and clear will likely be denied and you will be left with a guilty plea on your record. This is, of course, a serious motivator to complete the program successfully.
Hold and clear pleas can be negotiated for crimes such as shoplifting, underage possession or minor in possession, and marijuana possession. Our firm negotiates these pleas on a frequent basis for our clients, as they are a good way to ultimately close your case with a clean record.
If you have been arrested for shoplifting or other crimes in Alpharetta or Milton, give us a call today to discuss your case. We will explain the hold and clear and other plea options to you and give our insight into your particular case.
We can be reached 24/7 at (770) 676-1340 or by email at evan@zwdefense.com.