We all at times get put in difficult situations. Some may be harsh and others may be minor but no matter the level of difficulty it is, getting involved in situations we never intentionally wanted to partake in, comes with living life itself. And despite the bad rap lawyers tend to get in films, a trusted attorney in one we tend to call whenever we find ourselves in difficult situations. And aside from representing our clients to the best of our abilities, one of many great things we do for them is giving advice.
There are different types of probations. Some are supervised visitation which requires you to meet with a probation officer at a certain location and during certain times of the month. Another type of probation is the unsupervised probation where you are not required to meet with a probation officer on a consistent basis. Rather supervised or unsupervised, both cases require you to adhere to certain legal guidelines. Probation could be seen as an added consequence or be an alternative to jail in a verdict.
Being on probation comes with travel restrictions but each case is based on a particular case. For example, if a person is on house arrest then his or her travels may be limited going to work and the grocery store. In general, most probations don’t allow out-of-state travel. One usually must get written permission from a probation officer and the person must carry the travel notification at all times during his or her travels. Travel restrictions are usually discussed before the official beginning of one’s probation and one should never agree to probation without first understanding the guidelines and restrictions.
The following is taken directly from the State of Florida (www.flsd.uscourts.gov/) website and describes the general conditions for travel restrictions for those who are on probation. If you are in a particular situation and need help, don’t hesitate to call our office at Carlos Gonzalez Law.
Pretrial Supervision:
You are required to file a motion through your attorney requesting permission to travel.
You are to provide the probation officer with a copy of the motion outlining your travel itinerary.
If the court approves the motion for travel, a signed order will be executed by the court.
You shall not leave the judicial district without permission of the Probation Officer and/or the Court. Advance approval from the Court must be requested for international travel (which includes travel beyond the three nautical mile limits) and vacation travel outside the district for more than 30 days. For international travel, offenders must make their request no less than six (6) weeks in advance. Please note, there are additional steps required when traveling to foreign countries such as permission from that country etc. For domestic travel, offenders must make their request at least two (2) weeks in advance. Please note, there may be some limitations placed by other states as to travel. (Check with your probation officer on state limitations) Offenders may not leave the Southern District of Florida without permission of the Court and/or probation officer. Any travel outside the district requires advance written permission. No travel will be allowed during the initial assessment period of 60 days, except for a verifiable emergency situation. Additionally, travel may not be granted to offenders who are not in compliance with the conditions of supervision.
