Investigations
Courts may order an investigation when considering an application for Certificate of Relief from Disabilities and sentencing upon violation of probation, however, courts most commonly order pre-sentence and pre-plea investigations. These are completed to provide the court with additional information available when considering a sentence for a defendant and are generally to be returned to court 6-8 weeks after being ordered.
An investigation may be ordered by any sentencing judge but is mandatory when/with:
- the defendant is eligible for youthful offender status
- a misdemeanor conviction with proposed sentence of more than 90 days jail
- any felony conviction