Probation Violation for Not Paying Fines, in Pennsylvania

**heartattackcity** · 07-23-2007, 08:22 AM

I was put on probation in Allegheny County for 2 years and then it was extended after the 2 years because I had restitution fines still to pay. Now I've been in a bad place for over a year now with no job and a bad relationship amongst other things so the whole probation thing was not even on my mind until this month. I had to even get Section 8 because I couldn't afford to pay my rent. I thought I had till June next year to pay off my restitution and I get a letter in the mail over the weekend saying I'm in violation and will be subpoena'd to court. I'm thinking it'll probably be in a few months. Here's my questions. Can probation be extended for a 2nd time? I have mildly over $3000 left to pay out of a $7000 restitution charge. Should I start making payments again now or should I just bring a lump sum of money with me to court, like $1500 because I don't have $3000. I was going to pay $1500 this year and the other $1500 before June of next year but apparently I got dates mixed up and I'm screwed. Also I got a new probation officer who sent me the notice. Should I call her and explain the situation? My old officer was kind of nice and would send me reminders every few months to pay. Since I never got reminders again, it was easy to not even think about it. Is there anything this officer can do to change the situation? I have no prior records, I have not been in trouble once since my probation, and I have a young child at home.

Can someone please advice what I can/should do?

**Mr. Knowitall** · 07-23-2007, 04:29 PM

Try to pay off everything. Borrow money if you need to. You can try to explain yourself to your probation officer, but "I forgot my restitution (again, and again, and again, and again...)" isn't a very good excuse.

**heartattackcity** · 07-23-2007, 06:09 PM

Oh I haven't said that over and over. When they extended my probation, they saw that I was making small payments and trying to get it paid. After all, who would pay almost $4500 if they weren't trying? It's just the past 12 months have been so hard on me financially an emotionally that I wasn't able to make the payments. I was just wonderin gif it was possible to get it extended once more if I show that I'm making payments again. I was thinking if I had more than half of my balance paid off that they would give me another extension. But I will try to get it together