Navigating through the Panama City Pretrial Diversion and Intervention (PTI) Process
Dana Morris is a criminal defense attorney in Panama City, Florida. Many of the criminal cases that he has represented have resulted in Pretrial Diversion.
What are the benefits of a Pretrial Diversion Program?
- Individuals who successfully complete a Pretrial Diversion Program will avoid a potential criminal conviction by having their criminal charges dismissed. If they’re a candidate for expungement, they could also have the case removed from their criminal history.
- They will also avoid the stress, hassle and expense of a criminal trial.
We recommend that you hire an experienced criminal defense attorney in Panama City, Florida, to review your charges and see if you qualify for the Pretrial Diversion or Pretrial Intervention programs. Dana Morris, at The Morris Law Firm, offers free legal consultations and would be happy to meet with your to discuss your charges and your options. Give him a call at (850) 257-5680.
Pretrial Diversion
To participate in the Pretrial Diversion Program in Bay County, the defendant must not have a prior criminal record. Alternatively, the Defendant may be recommended by an Assistant State Attorney to the program during pre-trial proceedings.
Once you are accepted into pretrial diversion, you will need to complete an online test, serve or pay for eight community service hours, and pay the assessed fees (see below). Once you complete all terms of the program, the charges are dropped.
If you and your criminal defense attorney determine that you are eligible for the Pretrial Diversion Program and you enter into the agreement, you will have 90 days to complete an online test and complete it with a score of 70% or better. Keep in mind, the test is “open book” and you may use the internet or other sources for information.
Take the Pretrial Diversion test here.
During the 90 days after entering into the Pretrial Diversion Program, you will also need to pay the assessed fees
- Pay $280.00 – Online or with Money Order/Cashier’s Check
- Pay $200.00 and perform 8 hours of Community Service at a non-profit organization
- Perform 28 hours of Community Service at a non-profit organization
Pay Pretrial Diversion fees online here.
Pretrial Intervention
For first time offenders with more serious charges, Florida law offers pretrial intervention, which typically involves more conditions than would be associated with a Pretrial Diversion Program and takes a longer period of time to complete.
Give one of our attorneys at The Morris Law Firm a call if you need to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Bay County, Florida or the surrounding counties. They offer free legal consultations with an attorney. Criminal defense attorneys at The Morris Law Firm can be reached at (850) 257-5680.
