What happens on court supervision?

Answer 1

In Illinois, if you are charged with a traffic or misdemeanor offense, there are three potential outcomes. One is a finding of "not guilty," or an acquittal, following a trial. Another is a conviction of the offense by way of the verdict or a plea of guilty. The third, a disposition of court supervision, is somewhere between those two. The term "court supervision" is a reference to a particular sentencing option available in most traffic, municipal ordinance, and misdemeanor cases in the state of Illinois. It is not applicable to felony offenses. Court supervision can only be granted by a judge, and it is granted as a discretionary measure, not as a matter of right. In order to receive a sentence of court supervision, you must first offer to plead guilty in court to whatever offense has been charged. If the judge believes that a sentence of court supervision is appropriate, he or she takes the guilty plea under advisement, and does not enter it as a conviction at that time. Instead, you are then placed on a period of court supervision, usually lasting three to twenty-four months. The court will impose conditions which you must obey during the period of supervision. The law requires you to refrain from committing further offenses while on supervision. Additional conditions may include the payment of fines and costs, performance of public service work, treatment for drug and/or alcohol addiction, counseling, and whatever else may seem appropriate. Following successful completion of the period of court supervision, the case is dismissed, and no conviction is ever entered on the record.