Despite what you may see on your favorite crime show on television, there’s more to a sentence than just a guilty verdict. In Minnesota, there are four main types of criminal sentences. There is a stay of adjudication, a stay of imposition, a stay of execution and executed sentences. We explain what all four of these different sentences mean in today’s blog.
Types Of Sentences
Here’s a look at the four different ways you can be sentenced for a crime in Minnesota.
Stay of Adjudication – A stay of adjudication is the most desirable type of sentence in Minnesota following a guilty plea or guilty verdict. A stay of adjudication means that the court does not place the conviction on your record, so long as you comply with certain conditions, like probation, community service or fines, although it can also include jail time. If you meet the conditions of your stay of adjudication, the charge is dismissed and the conviction will no appear on your criminal record. Also, there is no conviction on your record while the stay of adjudication is in place, so as long as you don’t violate the conditions set forth in the stay of adjudication, the conviction will never appear on your record.
Stay of Imposition – A stay of imposition is still a favorable sentence, but it’s not as great as a stay of adjudication. In a stay of imposition, you can get the severity of your charge reduced if you complete probation. This can allow you to have the crime reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor offense if you complete the set conditions of your stay, but there will still be some record of your crime on your criminal record, even if you follow the conditions. If you fail to uphold the terms of your stay, it can be vacated and your sentence can be changed to a stay of execution or an executed sentence, which we’ll explain below.
Stay of Execution – A stay of execution means that you are given a jail sentence, but you can avoid serving this sentence if you follow your probation guidelines. If you fail to follow your probation guidelines, the court can execute your sentence and send you to jail for the previously established duration. Even if you abide by your probation regulations, the charges will not be reduced or dismissed, and they will be present on your criminal record. Still, this beats spending time in jail.
Executed Sentence – Finally, an executed sentence is where you are sentenced to jail or prison without the opportunity to remain released on probation. You can get a third off of your sentence for “good behavior,” but you will be required to spend at least two-thirds of the sentence behind bars if you are given an executed sentence for your actions.
At Appelman Law Firm, we’ve helped countless clients get their charges dismissed, reduced, or achieve a favorable sentence. To learn what we can do for you, reach out to our office at (952) 224-2277.
