What Is A Good Excuse To Miss Probation?

Some people who have been charged and convicted with a crime wonder, “what is a good excuse to miss probation?“. In this post, we will discuss the topic in greater depth.

The Best Excuses to Miss Probation

Once convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony and placed on probation, meetings between you and your probation officer will become mandatory. The decision for the frequency you must report under supervision occurs in court when you agree to accept probation.

Reporting is strictly enforced in Louisiana and will result in a violation of your probation. After this, you may find your probation suspended and living out the rest of the sentence incarcerated. 

There are always exceptions to the rules as sometimes emergencies arise in their lives. The best caution is to talk to your probation officer and ask what you should do in the event an emergency happens that does not allow you to report. If you’re not clear on what constitutes an emergency, let’s take a look at what is a good excuse to miss probation. 

Take a look at this post on what you can not do while on probation to learn more on the subject.

1. I Was In The Hospital

Having an emergency surgery is probably the best excuse out there for missing a probation meeting. Supervisors understand that medical issues come up and will probably overlook this situation if you can prove to them that you really did have surgery. 

A scheduled surgery excuse can work too, but in this case, make sure your probation officer has given you the all-clear before missing the meeting. In almost all cases, this will not be an issue, but if you use it as a reason after missing the meeting, you will face a challenge. Anytime there is a reason you must miss probation and know about it beforehand, you must notify your probation officer. 

2. I Had a Death In The Family

Family commitments like deaths and funerals make good excuses to miss probation. No probation officer will expect you to miss your mother’s funeral or to need the time to make the arrangements for one. As long as you stay in contact and let them know what has happened, they will work with you as much as possible. 

3. I Was on The Way, But Had a Car Wreck

This excuse will occasionally work as we know accidents do happen. A probation officer expects this phone call at least once while someone is on probation. However, if they hear it twice, they probably will not believe it and require proof of the accident. 

If you do get involved in an accident on your way to probation, call as fast as you can and explain. The probation officer will ask when you can come in, and both of you will make arrangements to meet. 

Read this post here to learn about what happens if you get a probation violation.

4. My Child Is Sick 

Parenting is a huge responsibility and any mother or father will tell you it comes first. Probation officers understand this too. If your child is sick and needs you there to nurse them, most probation officers will work with you. 

5. I Need To Go Out of Town for My Job

Keep in mind that part of probation requirements are that you are gainfully employed. If you need to travel out of the area for your job and miss probation, this will be accepted. Know that the probation officer will verify this with your boss, as it is normal for them to correspond with your job. 

6. I’m Having A Baby

Soon to be mothers and even fathers on probation can probably use this excuse for missing probation. This is especially true if your probation officer knows you have a baby due soon. Just make sure they know the baby is getting close. Don’t forget to call and let them know, however as soon as possible. 

7. I Got Caught In Traffic

This reason is only good if you can prove you were on your way to probation and get stuck in traffic. As good excuses go, this has probably been overused and not readily acceptable. The key is to contact the probation officer while you are on your way, send them a screenshot of yourself in traffic, and ask if they can still meet with you when you get there. If you cannot accomplish any of these steps, this excuse will not fly. 

8. Extreme Weather

Living in Louisiana during hurricane season can give you one of the best excuses for missing probation. Of course, hopefully, your probation officer has already canceled your meeting if a hurricane is barreling into town. Other catastrophes like flooding and frozen roads in the wintertime always make good reasons to miss probation. 

Don’t Lose The Trust of Your Probation Officer

While all of these excuses are legitimate and will be considered by your probation officer, there is a time when using a good reason to miss probation will not get you excused. If you call in once a month and say your child is sick, there will come a time it will not be believed. 

The key to any excuse used is to not lie and communicate as much as possible. You’ll find that even the toughest probation officer will work with you as long as you have a track record of not missing meetings and complying with all of your other requirements. If, however, you miss one out of every three meetings, it will not be long before a warrant for a violation is issued. 

What to Do If Your Probation Was Revoked for Missing Probation

If you don’t have a legitimate reason to miss probation, there is not much you can do about it. In the event of a true emergency that has arisen, like you were in the hospital at the time, you need to hire a criminal defense attorney near you. Carl Barkemeyer, Criminal Defense Attorney is a great attorney to call if you have any run-ins with the law. You can contact him for more information on his Louisiana based law firm and services. His location information is below:

Once your probation is revoked, you will have a probation hearing to answer why you missed your probation meeting. Having an attorney to represent you in a hearing such as this case will be of great benefit. Hiring a local attorney who has experience working with probation violations will prevent you from being taken advantage of. Your attorney will show the meeting simply could not be avoided and that you should not be punished for something out of your control.

You should now have a better idea of what is a good excuse to miss probation and wish you luck!